Finding Kagome
by MetsukiKaraTen
Summary: Serial AU The Jewel complete, it has taken too long and now Kagome is dying. Unable to move on, InuYasha chooses find her next incarnation. Little does he know, the world has changed even more. Awarded 2nd Place Best Drama by Feudal Association Jan'07
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters featured in this work of fiction, they are copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. This work is merely a fan's musings in a 'what if' environment. Some of the characters are represented as variations on the original premise (everyone has matured, relocated, and many have cycled to another incarnation). It is my greatest hope that no one be offended, hence the ...

WARNING: MATURE THEME – Profanity, Violence, Adult situations, Sexual Innuendo and content.

With that said, I present to you, dear reader, my very first fanfic.

FINDING KAGOME

Prologue

He took her frail hand into his, trying not to let the sense of total defeat overwhelm him. He had watched her slowly slip away from him for so long now, helpless to change the course of events.

And now here they were, nearing the end.

Without her he had no desire to continue.

No reason to move forward.

And he found himself desperately wishing to go _back. Back to the beginning, rewind it all. _ Back to that time when they were both whole, and young, ready for adventure at every turn in the road.

But the task had been completed.

Finally.

So much had been lost, and then, so much was gained.

There could be no turning back, and he was losing her.

"I don't want to go now. It still feels... unfinished, somehow," she whispered weakly.

"It _is _unfinished," he responded horsely, angrily choking back on his grief.

Ever so gently his hand swept across her brow, to smooth away the errant wisps of her silver bangs, smoothing the lines of her forehead. A simple act, one he had performed perhaps a million times in their years together. It made her smile, and for the briefest of moments. . . her eyes sparkled as they had so very long ago.

Kami, but he loved her so.

"I will wait for you. . ." and she coughed weakly, wincing with the pain.

Too weak to raise herself, he anticipated her need, adjusting cushions around her, gently lifting her up to place a plumped one behind her back.

"Don't," he replied curtly. "It will take too damn long for me to follow you, I don't want to wait it out by myself. I am too hard to kill, and I won't use Tetsusaiga on myself. I won't do that to my father's memory."

"Kami!" she gasped, " I would never ask you to do that!"

Her breath had be reduced to near gasps.

"Surely. . . you don't mean. . . for me to go _on. . . _without _you. _I will be . . . so lost. . ."

"You ll see everyone... everyone we lost... your momma, your dad . . . your grandfather and Kaede will want a full report. . ." he tried to smile as a tear finally made it's way along the side of his nose, and he sniffed as his battle with grief was lost. "Don't wait for me. . . follow them. . . go on together."

"It wont... be right... without...you..." and her eyes began to close.

"I will find you, I promise..." sobs threatened to ruin his oath. He leaned in close to her ear, as he touched her cheek, "what we have can't be broken . . . not by time or even death . . . _I will find you, I promise!"_

Her eyes had closed for the last time, the ragged breath had stopped.

He had one last task remaining, but he couldn't move.

Flashing memories flooded his mind, of waking from the seal to the wide eyes of this girl, watching the destruction of the Shikon no Tama, of running in the wind, searching for the fragments, learning to fight as a team, finding a sense of acceptance. . . _family_ in the midst of chaos. Even the last battle with Naraku and the sorrow at losing Miroku to his curse, and then watching Sango wilt and seem to fade away.

It was just as he had heard others say, when you die your life passes before your eyes. . .

He felt as though the best part of _himself _ had done just that.

And he sobbed like a child against her breast.

He had no idea how much time passed, he knew that he had to tell Souta.

He would bury her underneath the Goshinboku, the place where they had met for the first time.

And he would bury the completed Shikon no Tama with her.

He no longer desired it for his own purpose.

One last trip they would take together into the well. . .

Better for it to rest in _her time_, than this one.

ooO0Ooo

"Halfbreed. . . what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I am doing, jackass?"

"It appears that you are sitting in a tree. . ."

"Brilliant, as always," a scowl briefly shadowed his features, then passed as his eyes following the drifting clouds.

A silence stretched as the sound of birdsong and the rustling of leaves filled the afternoon air.

InuYasha let one foot drape as he balanced with ease on the high limb, cradling his sword and watching the sky.

"Halfbreed"

"Nani?" his response was absent, preoccupied, while his gaze remained on the heavens.

"Just what is it, that _you think_ you are doing?" Sesshoumaru spoke softly standing still as stone, only the light breeze lifting the odd stray strand of his long hair to give away that he was not some regal statue errantly placed in the woods of InuYasha's forest.

"You've already asked that question, baka. . . and answered it yourself." He glanced down at his half brother in irritation. He then returned his attention to the drifting clouds.

"Have you nothing better to do?" Sesshoumaru's expression didn't change, as he seemed to be frozen in time and space.

"Nope."

"The miko is dead."

"You're _point_?" InuYasha's irritation with being disturbed was becoming apparent. He didn't need to be told, he knew this fact only too _terribly_ well.

"This will not bring her back. She is gone now. . ." The Demon paused, a momentary shadow of something crossed his stony features. "You cannot believe _she_ would want this."

"Feh, how do you know what _she_ would want, asshole?"

Sesshoumaru would not flinch.

Inwardly he regrouped his resolve.

The hanyou could not continue like this, it was just. . . wrong. He had mourned when Rin had left him, surely. But it had not disabled him.

It was as though InuYasha's _own spirit _had died along with the strange little miko.

"It's time to move on."

"Then go, bastard. . . leave me alone."

"Time for _you_ to move on."

"Keh."

That fleeting shadow reappeared on Sesshoumaru's features, and he raised his voice, "You accomplish _nothing _ from that tree limb."

"Sure I do" InuYasha adjusted his position, refusing to look down at his half brother. "I'm waiting."

Another lengthy silence passed, as Sesshoumaru pondered the hayou's response. Finding no logical basis for it, he drew slightly closer to the tree for emphasis.

"You wait for _nothing_, halfbreed"

"Get lost, asshole!" hissed InuYasha, as he brought his leg up to sit cross-legged on the branch.

Taken aback by the hostility behind the retort, Sesshoumaru stepped back a pace. Why was the hanyou not attacking him?

He had never seen InuYasha like. . . _this_. The stubbornly miserable hanyou was frozen with his grief.

"As you wish. . . However _this Sesshoumaru _is not the one who is _lost_."

And he walked away silently, not even disturbing the leaves on the ground.

InuYasha glanced down, and he was gone, nothing to indicate that he had even been there at all.

"_Kusoyaro_"

_ooO0Ooo_

The passage of time was tedious. . . slow, and InuYasha occupied himself with the more mundane activities of survival. Food, shelter, occasionally from the edges he would watch human villages to remind himself that he was after all half human.

Things hadn't changed much since the demise of Naraku, people busied themselves with their tasks, sold their wares, celebrated their festivals, warred on one another, buried their dead, and had more children.

Children became a fascination for him.

He would sit just outside a village and watch them play, wondering what it might have been like if he and Kagome had been able to have a family.

It was Kagome, always Kagome. . . his desires were for no other, and even when he was occasionally discovered by fascinated young women, he found no interest in them.

Only the things they did or said that reminded him of his Kagome.

_His_ precious Kagome.

"_I will find you," _ became his prayer.

_ooO0Ooo_


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

"It is unbelievable that you have not removed that ridiculous rosary in all this time."

"That's how I got here."

"What about that jewel? Did you not complete it?"

"We did."

"So what did you do with it?"

"I didn't realize you had such an interest in the Shikon no Tama."

"Not really. . . just idle curiosity."

"I buried it. . . by the tree."

"The tree you were pinned to?"

"Yes."

"Why would you do that? I thought your wish was to end your halfbreed misery. . . one way or another."

"It wasn't important anymore. . . I decided being hanyou has it's benefits."

"I see."

"Feh. . . no you don't. You know. . . you're still a jackass."

"_I _am not the one wearing the obsolete rosary."

"You never know. . . it just _might _come in handy someday."

"Can you remove it now? I would wish to look at it more closely..."

"Hmm. . . I don't know. . . let me try. . . It won't come off."

"She's been dead for centuries, surely _I _can remove it for you."

"Go ahead and try, it won't come off"

"You never tried before?"

"It reminds me of her. . . it's all I have left, I don't want to lose it."

"Interesting, I can't remove it either. What might this imply?"

"She's back."

"Back?"

"You know. . . what goes around, comes around? Cycle of birth, life death rebirth. . . Human philosophy, spiritual stuff."

"You are beginning to sound like Buddhist. Your affinity for trivial human mythos is amazing."

"It's not a myth, Jackass. . . we are bound. . . she is the only true one for me in this world. Any world."

"You are just drawn to human holy women, she wasn't the first. . . what about that wench that pinned you to the tree? You thought you were in love with her, as well. . ."

"Same person."

"Impossible."

"Shows how much you know, jackass! I was there, I didn't understand at first, but she was righting a wrong when she pulled that arrow out of my chest."

"How so?"

"Naraku tricked her."

"Enough said. That plague on the planet was finished long ago."

"You asked."

"So the little miko fixed what the other had done."

"She undid her own mistake."

"And she knew this at the time?"

"No, neither of us knew it then. . . not until we talked to Kaede-baba."

"The old miko of Edo?"

"She saw it right away."

"How did she see it? What was it that she saw?"

"That's one of the mysteries. But she knew, and she explained it to us. Kikyo was her sister, after all. . . she knew her sister. . . even after death and rebirth. . . even from another. . . era. . . she knew her."

"And now you believe you will find her yet again. . . a third time..."

"Third time's the charm."

"What will you do?"

"It's time to start looking."

"As opposed to that day in the tree, when it was not time?"

"Yeah."

"This Sesshoumaru wished only to. . . help. . . that day."

"I wasn't in the mood."

"_That_, halfbreed, was obvious. What is your intent, now?"

"Across the water, to the East. Some thing's pulling at me from that direction."

"Have you ever actually _been _ to the Americas?"

"Feh. . . it's just another place."

"You are not going alone, this Sesshoumaru will go with you."

"Why all the sudden interest?"

"I am. . . curious about the outcome."

"Why?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not have to explain himself to _you_. You will not go alone."

"OI! This is just a game to you, isn't it?"

"I do not waste time with games."

"Oh. . . ALRIGHT THEN! You can tag along if you want, just DON'T get in my way!"

"Halfbreed..."

"Nani?"

"How do you intend to cross the sea?"

"Oh. . ."

"You can't run across that much water."

"I suppose that _you_ have a suggestion."

For the first time, InuYasha could see a hint of mirth sparkling in his half-brother's eyes.

"Yes, I do."

_ooO0Ooo_

What followed had been like something Kagura would have conjured, a whirlwind of activity that had lead him to this moment, sitting beside his jackass brother and watching the clouds again. . . only from a new perspective that left him nearly breathless.

InuYasha simply could not fathom what had motivated Sesshoumaru to help him, and that troubled the displaced hanyou.

First it was the gifts.

New clothing, that the jackass had said would make him look less 'strange' away from the shrines of this era. Soft deerskin shoes, with thin soles, left his feet feeling nearly bare.

He looked down at them and wriggled his clawed toes, watching the black deerskin ripple with their movement.

The jeans, which were much tighter on his legs than he cared for, were black like the shoes, his only wish that they would be as comfortable.

A shirt of some shimmering fabric, that looked like red metal but felt like silk against his skin, with some kind of writing in black letters on the chest.

It was nothing like he had seen before, and the Sesshoumaru had smirked and said the words were appropriate.

A hat of broad rimmed leather and large enough to not constrict his brow, sat on his head effectively covering the unique features that set him apart from the human throng.

He had tried one of those horrible "ball-caps", which had crushed his ears in an irritating way. This hat was loose enough that he had to adjust it often, which made the jackass smirk at him.

He had said something about a "cow-boy", which made no sense. If there were cow-boys, then why not dog-boys?

But he didn't want to argue in these close quarters.

This thing, this flying tube with rigid wings that they were in, he had seen in the air before, but never thought that he would be _inside one, _with the sky both below them _and _above them.

"Oi, jackass" he squirmed in his seat. "We gonna get there soon?"

"Another 3 hours and we will land in Honolulu," Sesshoumaru raised a brow at the squirming hanyou seated next to him. "Do you need to relieve yourself?"

"Huh?" InuYasha cocked his head at his half-brother, "What the fuck does that mean?"

"Hn. . . Do you need to go. . . pee?" He grimaced at his need to use the common term.

"Nah," InuYasha shook his head, then twisting to lift one foot up onto the seat, he stretched the other leg off to the side, "just sick of sitting here."

"We will have to change planes in Honolulu, you will be able to walk around for a bit then."

"Wait... you mean we have to get in another one of these things?" He sat forward with anxiety, his hat slipping back on his head so far only his ears kept it from falling off. Reaching back he adjusted it, then instinctively started to scratch his ear with his right foot.

With lightening speed, Sesshoumaru's hand caught the foot, and glancing around, he squeezed it dropping it to the floor, "You've been too long in the wild, halfbreed. . ."

"OW, jackass! That hurt!" InuYasha batted at the offending hand away then pulled himself further away from his brother, lamenting the absence of his Tetsusaiga.

Lowering his voice to nothing but breaths, Sesshoumaru hissed, "Lower your voice, you are attracting too much attention."

His brow lowered toward his eyes, which had narrowed to as close to a scowl as InuYasha had seen since their reunion.

"Feh..." he folded his arms, closing himself off to the reprimand, "No one's watching us, you're paranoid." Grabbing his hat from behind, he pushed it forward over his eyes. "Fuck it. . . wake me up when we get there," and he settled back into his seat, head against the window.

His thoughts were scrambled and there was just too much that he didn't understand yet.

He needed to run, to clear his brain which was muddled by the canned air and inactivity.

To say their reunion was unexpected was an understatement. It was almost as though Sesshoumaru was expecting him to arrive when he did, the day he finally jumped out of the well at the Higurashi Shrine in modern Tokyo.

He had been very careful to not be seen by the current keepers of the shrine, he was certain that they were people he didn't know, and more importantly didn't know _him_. But it was impossible to pass Goshinboku without stopping for a few moments, to meditate on all that the Sacred Tree meant.

He had been high in the branches, hidden among the leaves, quietly allowing the tears to flow, when he sensed a familiar yoki nearby. The tears had muffled his keen sense of smell, so he had quietly listened for any telling sounds in the quiet garden.

The only sounds were of children laughing, and a flute playing some distance away. Not sensing any activity in the garden, he had jumped down. . . to land face to face with Sesshoumaru.

Now, here they were, in a metal tube hanging in the sky, on their way to the far west because that is where he had said he needed to go.

The West. . . land of cowboys, whatever those are. And he supposedly looked like one, or so Sesshoumaru had said.

All he knew was he wanted to find Kagome.

That's all that mattered.

He hoped with all his being that his timing was right.

Sesshoumaru seemed to have mellowed with the time passage. InuYasha sensed a kind of wisdom there, that had not been there the last time they spoke.

He wondered what the last 500 years had been like for his arrogant half brother. What had happened to the toad servant, who was blatantly absent? Or the little human girl who used to follow him like a pilgrim following a god.

He still had Tokojin and Tensaiga, because they were packed with Tetsusaiga in the luggage. He wondered if Sesshoumaru even used them now.

Too many questions. . . were going to give him a headache.

He allowed the images of his beloved Kagome to fill his mind, soothing him, and he drifted off to sleep.

_ooO0Ooo_


	3. Chapter Two

A/N : I do not own the characters featured in this work of fiction, they are copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi, et al. This work is merely a fan's musings in a 'what if' environment. Some of the characters are represented as variations on the original premise (everyone has matured, relocated, and many have cycled to another incarnation). It is my greatest hope that no one be offended, hence the ...

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Two

There was an air of expectation among the student's of Kagome's after-school class. They knew that today she would be announcing what role they would play in the city-wide cultural festival to be held in the late spring.

There was much rustling and shuffling of feet, laced with whispers and a few giggles as Kagome took her place at the head of the classroom.

"If everyone would please take your seats, today will be a short class," she announced, as she nodded to the raised hand midway through the room. "Yes, Rin?"

"Miss Higurashi, will we be doing a play?" the excited girl asked, looking at her friend beside her who was shaking her head and covering her face with embarrassment.

"Was that your question, Rin? Or was it really Christine's?" Kagome grinned, Rin was always speaking up for the painfully shy Christine.

"Um. . ." pondered the girl, looking around as if she could find the answer sitting near her. "Both?" she looked hopefully at her teacher.

"Ah, I see. . ." nodding, she looked around the room. "The answer is yes, and no."

"Huh?" The little girl's confusion spread around the classroom, as the student looked at each other not understanding how it could be both.

"Let me explain," continued their teacher, "What I want to do is bring together some traditional dance, also telling a story. Traditional Shinto dance is called Kagura. Can you all repeat that for me?"

In unison the group said the name, struggling to imitate the accent that Kagome had used.

"Kagura also includes the music, which I am composing. We will have a flute, which I will play, Shamisen which my friend Selene will play, and a hand drum which will be played by my friend Michael." At this she nodded toward the back of the room, where upon turning around the students found a tall man they had not heard come in.

"Hi kids!" He grinned and winked at Kagome, then took a seat at the rear of the classroom.

"The story this dance will tell is one that has been told in my family for generations, about a hanyou and a miko, who search to find a magical jewel. It is a long story so we will just do a small part of it for the dance."

"Higurashi-sama, what is a hanyou?" asked one of the boys from the first row.

"Good job, Tyler," Kagome smiled, they were learning. Little steps. "Hanyou is a word rarely used today, it describes, a person who is of two different races. The hanyou in this story is half human and half demon."

There was a collective "Oo" and "Ah" to this piece of information, and Kagome grinned mischievously, as she continued with her explanation. "Miko as you know, means priestess. My mother is a miko, and I am have had some training to carry on the tradition."

There were nods among the group, some of whom came from families that came to her mother for counsel.

"The story is about a young miko, who in her travels finds a strange young man stuck to a tree with a magical arrow. She takes pity on him and removes the arrow that keeps him there, to discover that he is not a regular boy, but a half demon, with very bad manners, and a bad temper." She looked around the room for a moment. "You, Hiroki. . . you will make a perfect Dog-boy."

The class broke out into laughter as the boy blushed and tried to dissolve into his desk.

"Dog-boy... great..." he whined pitifully. "Will I at least get to wear a mask?"

"No, but you get to wear ears! Nice puppy ears! How's that?" Kagome giggled. Her friend Michael snorted from the rear of the room, unable to keep his amusement at bay.

"You know something, Hiroki. . . the dog-boy is the hero in your sensei's story. Even with his bad temper, and poor manners, he is a strong fighter and saves the miko on numerous occasions. So. . . you get to play a hero!" Michael smiled fetchingly at the boy, who was beginning to set a bit straighter in his chair now.

"But. . . puppy ears?" he screwed his face up as he looked back at his teacher. "Can't he just look like a normal guy?" he pleaded.

"I understand, but the answer is no. He isn't just a 'normal guy' and for this he can't look like one, something has to set him apart." Kagome glanced at her watch, then compared it to the room clock on the back wall. "The costumes are already being made, we will meet up at the park in a couple of weeks to rehearse, I have put in a request for a bus for those who cannot get their own transportation, OK class? Let me know and I will get the release form for you if you need to go on the bus."

She looked at Michael and held out her hand. As he walked to the front to handed her a slender velvet bag, she continued with her instruction.

"The dance we will be doing is in the traditional style, however, the story is not. I will be available to discuss this with your parents should they have any questions, and if they have objections then you will be excused from the performance..."

The room started to buzz with mutterings again. "HOWEVER. . ." Kagome continued and the room quieted, "if you are excused from the performance, you will still be expected to assist with the production work. We need everyone's hands to build and paint the scenery."

"Thank you, Mikey," she whispered as she removed the antique ornate enameled flute from the bag. She then smiled putting her finger to her lips, effectively quieting the classroom and held it to her lips to play a short but haunting melody.

Relishing the depth of the tone that came from the ancient instrument, her fingers slid over the openings like it was an extension of her own body. Michael dropped to sit cross legged on the floor, as entranced as the rest of the class.

When it was over, the classroom was filled with silence as the students sat in awe.

"Did you like that?" Kagome bit her lip, it was her first public performance of the piece which she intended to play as an opening to the dance.

"Wow!" said a chubby little boy in the second row, his mouth still agape. "I could _feel_ that! It was so pretty!" The rest of the class nodded in agreement and the room filled with murmuring.

"This flute was given to me by my great grandfather, it has been in the family for over 200 years." She'd had to raise her voice to be heard above the class. "He taught me the basics of how to play when I visited Japan a few years ago."

She took a breath and tried to remember the chubby little boy's name. Was it Harold? Something like that... she turned to look at her class roster.

"I think I have found our kitsune, Michael-sama."

"Hmm. . . indeed?" he turned around to look at the redheaded boy who had been so outspoken about the music. "I think you are right, Higurashi-sama. A perfect match, I would say."

"Me?" chirped the boy. "You want me to be a fox? Do I get to wear a mask?" He was grinning ear to ear.

"Yes, you!"Kagome giggled, feeling the vibrations of his enthusiasm all the way to the front of the room. "A perfect match I think, Connor. . . I will need to talk to your mom. I don't want you to cut your hair again before the festival. The kitsune is a redhead too!"

"Wow, Miss Higurashi, you sound like you know these characters personally!" the boy mused. It struck Kagome that he sounded much more mature than his appearance. _He must be older than he looks, _ she thought.

"Well, the story is very old, and has been told in my family for generations. And it's a personal favorite of mine, so in a way. . . Yes! I do know the characters!" She grinned. "We have a lot of work ahead of us in the next several weeks. I know we have a vacation coming up, so we will meet again in two weeks time. Are there any questions?"

"Higurashi-sama, I have a question. .. " Michael looked around the room at the young eager faces. "Hm, but, I think it will have to wait for later..."

"Hentai," she whispered under her breath at her friend, then blushed profusely, turning away toward the blackboard, to hide it from the students.

"Always," he whispered back, as she looked down at him and kicked at his knee with a giggle..

"Ok then, everyone have a great vacation. . . see you in two weeks!" dismissing the class she reached to put her flute back into it's velvet covering. Michael stood and brushed his pants, still grinning over her reaction to his 'near question'.

"I'm going to tell Selene on you, you brat!" she was still blushing, as she gathered her belongings preparing to vacate the classroom.

"Excuse me, Sensei..." Kagome looked up to see it was Connor, the redheaded boy. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Yes, of course you can, Connor," she replied as she gathered up her bag.

"Is Michael-sama your. . . boyfriend?" His green eyes flashed as he looked back and forth between the two of them, a hint of consternation crossing his open features. Kagome and Michael exchanged surprised looks, and simultaneously started to giggle. "What's so funny?" The boy asked, as a scowl crossed his face.

"Nothing. . . really. . ." laughed Kagome, trying to stop the giggling fit the innocent question had invoked. "Michael is my friend, Connor." _Could it be this child understood the connotation of Michaels little joke? _Kagome thought. "He is a very old friend, but we are not romantically involved if that is what you mean."

"Not that I didn't try, if you recall," Michael snorted.

"Oh, OK. . . I was wondering is all," the boy looked relieved.

"Kagome-sama is as available as the air. . . but" Michael leaned down to whisper in the boy's ear, "she isn't looking. She's waiting for her knight in shining armor. I tried but I just don't look good in that kind of getup."

"Oh quit!" Kagome pushed against Michaels shoulder, then leaned down to whisper to the boy, "Don't listen to him. He's happily engaged to my best friend." She winked, and a flush melted over the boy's face.

"I gotta go now," he stammered and turned to run out the door.

"Hmm. . ." Michael pondered arms crossed, hand to his chin as he watched the boy beat a hasty retreat. "A case of kitsune love? The fox version of puppy love?"

"Oh brother," Kagome gave an exasperated sigh, as they headed to the door. "He is a bright one though, I think he saw through that little joke of yours."

"I get the feeling he's older than he looks, do you?" Michael pulled off the band holding his long black hair in place and ran his fingers though it.

"I don't know, but I do know that I don't need _you_ putting ideas into my student's heads, you pervert!"

"And proud of it, I will have you know."

Kagome smirked as she locked the classroom door, Selene sure had her hands full with this one.

"Does Selene have to work tonight?"

"Nope, and she's excited about rehearsing with us. It's quite a break from her usual routine... OH, I nearly forgot to tell you!" He stopped grabbing Kagome's arm. "She got a promotion! She's a full detective now, can you believe it?"

"Wow! Already? She's only been on the force a year. . . isn't that some kind of record?

"I don't know about a record, but she certainly is special, that one." He beamed proudly.

"So, have you two set a date yet?"

"Not exactly, but we know what we want to do for the ceremony. We want it outside, under the trees, Golden gate Park, your mom can do weddings right?"

"Ahuh," Kagome nodded.

"You can't yet though, right?"

"Actually. . ." She stopped. "I could if I file the forms with the city, I just haven't had a need to."

"Seriously?" Michael grabbed her shoulders. "Do it! Oh, please, Kagome. . . that's what we want. . . for you to perform the ceremony!"

Kagome was taken back for a moment, "You two have really talked about this?"

"Yes! It was you that brought us together! It just makes sense that you would make us legal!"

Kagome laughed at the 'legal', as they made their way toward the transit stop. The two had been 'hot and heavy' for some time now, she liked the idea of making it permanent for them. Sally refused to move in with him until the day they shared a surname. . . at least that's what she had told Kagome.

"Alright, I will talk to Momma about the procedure, and we can work out a good date, Springtime at Golden gate park is so beautiful, maybe we can get a permit for the gardens."

"There you are, Monk! I wondered where you wandered off to!" Selene shouted from half a block up from them. "I see you are sniffing around another pretty girl." She raised her eyebrow and folded her arms in mock disdain.

"I cannot help myself, my dear Selene. . . this one is exceptionally ripe!" His eyes gleamed as he winked at Kagome, and rubbed his hands together as if in preparation for a tasty feast.

"Hey! I took a shower! I am _not_ 'ripe'!" Kagome retorted, walking up to hug her best friend. "He just told me, congratulations!"

"Thanks, I can hardly believe it myself, to be honest. So. . . where are we rehearsing?"

"My place, I think there is enough room." Kagome thought for a moment, mentally measuring her tiny living room and comparing it to the three of them and their instruments. She knew she should look for a bigger place, now that she had finished her credential process, and had a steady income. Though, the salary for a public school teacher still wasn't anything to write home about. But she preferred to live in the city, closer to work and to her friends, rather than at the retreat with her mother. The commute was a killer from there, she would be spending all of her spare time driving to and from work.

"Well then, get in!" Sally urged as gestured toward the brand new black GM hybrid she was standing next to. "We can take the scenic route, and give my new baby a workout."

"This is yours?" Gasped Michael, circling the vehicle, gingerly touching the orange detailing around the fenders. "Is this the surprise you told me about on the phone?"

" Mmhmm," She nodded proudly. "What do you think, monk? Is it... me?"

"It's great, Sally! Let's see what it rides like..." Kagome opened the back door and climbed in as Michael and Sally climbed into the front. Sally cranked up the music, some classic heavy metal, which was her favorite genre, rolled down the windows and floored it. Everyone was pushed back into their seats for a moment, then Kagome pushed her self forward shouting between them so she could be heard. "You have never explained to me why you call Michael 'monk'! That's a pretty weird nick-name to give your boyfriend!"

Michael snickered into his hand, then gestured to Sally, "Go ahead, my dear... explain it to the nice miko..."

"Does it have something to do with his post graduate work?" Kagome looked back and forth between the two, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Nope!" Shouted Sally over the wild guitar riffs, "It's because he's so lecherous!"

"How does that make 'monk' a good nickname for him, I don't get it..."

"It's simple really, Kagome," Michael reached over to turn down the music and got his hand slapped for the trouble.

"Watch your hands, monk! That's _mine!_" growled the new detective. Michael raised both hands into the air, backing away against the door. "My dear Sally, I only wish to explain something to Kagome!"

"So explain already! Sheesh you two!" Kagome huffed.

Michael leaned closer to Kagome's ear, "She says that I had to have been a monk in a past life, because I am so carnal now, I must be making up for lost time!"

"Oh my GODS! And here I thought it had something to do with your doctoral dissertation!" Kagome laughed heartily a blush high in her cheeks.

"Nope!" Sally made a sharp turn right, as they reached the beach. The sun was starting to set, and she pulled into a parking spot near the sand facing the water. Switching the play list on her on-board mp3 system to soft Koto and flute, she turned off the engine and sat back, "My favorite spot, my favorite time of day." She took Michaels hand in hers, and the three watched the pink and orange hues of the clouds shift and glow as a perfect sunset played out before them.


	4. Chapter Three

A/N : I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Three

"Oi! Jackass, what the hells do you think your doing?" InuYasha snapped as he slapped Sesshoumaru's hand away from his head, jerking into a full upright position in his seat.

"You're... hat..."muttered his half-brother, low under his breath, " it had slipped down. We will be landing soon, put on your belt."

InuYasha looked around, abashed, as he pushed his hat firmly down on his head. Hopefully no one had noticed. It would be an uncomfortable snag in their plans to have to explain his ears to anyone. Reaching down to his side, he pulled on the mechanism designed to keep him in the seat, should anything go wrong with the flight or landing... _now how do these things go together, again...?_ he experimented and then remembered how the two sides fit together.

"I don't like this thing," he muttered.

"You won't have to wear it for long, we can stretch our legs while we wait for our next flight."

"Oh yeah, we gotta do this again," InuYasha frowned. "Tell me again why we are doing this, Jackass."

"Because, halfbreed... the only alternative is a cruise, which would take weeks, and you made it abundantly clear that you did not wish to take any longer than necessary to arrive at our destination."

"Oh, right... I still don't have to like it though."

"Agreed"

"Do you do this often?"

"Do... what?"

"Fly in these... tubes"

"They are called airplanes... and yes I do."

"Why? Can't you just fly wherever you want to go?"

"It's not like that."

"It sure used to _seem_ like that."

"That was then."

"Hn."

The intercom chimed and a female voice announced, " Ladies and gentlemen, we ask that you put your seats into a full upright position, secure your belongings and fasten your safety belts, we are approaching the island of Oahu, and Honolulu International Airport. If you look to the left of the plane you will see the dormant volcano, Diamond Head, and Waikiki beach. You will be departing to Gate 104, we wish to thank you for flying TransPacifica Airlines." There was another chime, and a sign at the front of the plane lit up.

"What does that sign say?" inquired the hanyou.

"It is in English, it says Fasten Safety Belts."

"They have to make a sign for that? Isn't just saying it enough?"

"It's to make sure the message is clear."

"Hn..." InuYasha grunted, looking out the window. "OK, so what the fuck does it say on my shirt, Jackass... you never told me."

Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a suppressed smirk, his eyes sparkled uncharacteristically.

"It's a warning, of sorts." His eyes stayed focused straight ahead, unwaveringly.

"A warning? For who?" InuYasha glared at his half-brother.

"Anyone close enough to read it." The smirk was becoming a true grin. For the hanyou this was unnerving. This was not the same demon he had known and grown to despise.

"This isn't funny, asshole. You are making me the butt of some joke, I can tell... I'm not stupid."

The grin melted from Sesshoumaru's face, as he looked at his brother. He had angered him with his attempt at... play. It was going to take a very long time to mend the wounds he had inflicted on his sibling. It had taken over 500 years to get this far.

"It simply reads 'Danger : Wild man', a true statement if one were to ask this Sesshoumaru."

"Yeah? Well... nobody asked ya." InuYasha crossed his arms in a huff... only to uncross them and grab the armrests as the plane began it's descent. "Whoa... I don't like this... at all!" He shook his head, making the hat bob precariously on his head. His ears felt like they were going to implode, his breath became ragged with the discomfort, a small whimper issued from his throat.

The man who had always been fearless when in battle, legendary, though he had no way of knowing it, was in a situation he could not control. Seeing his steel grip on the hand rest and golden eyes wide with terror at the physical sensations the landing imposed, Sesshoumaru heard the distress deep in the hanyou's throat.

It was at that moment that Sesshoumaru did something which truly began the destruction of the barriers he had constructed so very long ago, in his jealousy of the inheritance bestowed on the one he was too blind to see was the _most deserving_.

He put his arm around his brother, pulling him to his shoulder, and comforted him.

"Gods, I feel like such a baka," moaned InuYasha, as they wandered past the shops of the airport terminal.

"You are a baka," agreed Sesshoumaru, "though I am surprised to hear you admit it."

"Shut up, Jackass," retorted the hanyou half heartedly. He still wasn't clear on just what had happened during the landing. "What's up with you, getting all touchy feely allasudden?"

Sesshoumaru inwardly flinched, but his expression remained unmoved as he replied, "You were obviously in distress, this Sesshoumaru wished only to make the landing more... comfortable for you. It seemed as though holding you would help."

InuYasha stopped mid stride to contemplate what the Demon Lord had just said. Sesshoumaru continued strolling at a leisurely pace, his features unchanged.

"You HUGGED me? Hells, I thought you were just trying to shut me the fuck UP!" He trotted to catch up and was practically dancing around the demon, in his disquiet over the bazaar revelation. This place was full of sound, and it bounced off the walls, along with the scents of all the travelers both current and past, and the concessions left an unnatural and rather unsavory backdrop.

"Please try to control yourself, half-breed. You are acting like a pup."

"This place is insane! Where can I run? I need to run!" He hopped in place, a couple of times, then began twisting his torso, stretching and reaching for his toes. His uncooperative hat dropped off his head. "Kuso!" he hissed and grabbed for it, slipping it smoothly on his head and grinning toothy grin at his elder brother.

"Keep your mouth closed, half-breed." The demon drawled, shaking his head at the childish antics. "Your lovely smile is a bit more... toothy... than these mortals are accustomed to."

"Keh." was his response, as he watched a family stroll past them. Self consciously he adjusted his hat and as a teenage girl walking by took it as a greeting, she giggled behind her hand, then whispered to her friend, and they both gazed at the young man with the very long silver-white hair. He tilted the hat forward, looking up under the brim arrogantly and grinned at them, minding to keep his mouth closed.

" This Sesshoumaru was correct, you are a cowboy."

"Is that what they are saying? I don't understand their talk..."

"Yes... the one on the right is speculating that you are a foreign movie star," Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes, fighting a losing battle to hide his amusement with the situation.

"Why would she think that? That makes no sense, it's daytime, not night... and I'm inside this place, not outside in the sky." InuYasha turned to face his brother, "You're just fucking weird."

The girls then noticed Sesshoumaru's unusual markings and their expression turned to one of concern, as InuYasha caught the scent of fear. He suddenly felt protective towards his brother, taking him by the arm and urging him to continue their stroll.

"Stupid bitches," he muttered, glancing back to see them move quickly away in the opposite direction.

"You do not need to worry about this Sesshoumaru's ... feelings," the elder demon stopped, mid stride. "I am accustomed to that kind of reaction from humans." His gaze locked ahead on some undetermined point.

"Huh?"

"This Sesshoumaru is accustomed to meeting with human disdain."

This revelation caused a crease on the younger brother's bow..._I thought I was the only one shunned... being the hanyou... _He stored the thought away for later, when his head would be more clear, after a good run.

"Sure... whatever... when do we leave? I am anxious to get this flying shit over with."

"From here we will take a private jet. I have arranged for it, we need to see to our luggage."

"I don't get it."

"What is it that you don't... get?"

They stood beside the luggage carousel waiting for their bags to make their way around.

"I know that 500 years is a long time, you just don't seem like the same person."

"I assure you, I am the same person. And yes, 500 years is a long time."

"So why are you helping me... instead of trying to kill me?"

Sesshoumaru, stood looking at the hanyou for a long moment, contemplating how to answer this question. Too much time had passed between their meetings for him to answer in a brief sentence or two, and it was not his wish to have this dialog in this particular setting. Spying the case with his twin swords, he reached for it as he also reached for a concise answer.

"Brothers should not plot murder against each other."

"Hn."

InuYasha saw the cylindrical container that held his Tetsusaiga, and the smaller bag that held his familiar fire-rat attire, he might not be able to wear them now, but he felt more comfortable having them in his possession.

"That still doesn't answer why you are helping me..." he adjusted his hat as he shouldered the bags, looking to the demon for an answer.

"Perhaps not," Sesshoumaru responded, nodding in the direction of the private terminal, which was still some distance away, and they walked as they spoke in near whispers. "Let's just say that I have an interest the outcome of your quest... little brother."

"DAMN! I think I like 'half-breed' better... You're fuckin' scaring me, Sesshoumaru!"

"I seem to have that effect on people, as you have witnessed."

"It's your mark... it's... not normal."

"This Sesshoumaru is very aware of that fact."

"So why don't you try to hide it? Like you have me hiding my ears?"

"Because, half-breed... that would require I wear a full mask, and gloves, which I refuse to do. I have tried cosmetics in the past, They are not worth the time it takes , and they smelled... offensive."

"I watched a festival once... the dancers were covered in the stuff, and it made me gag. I know what you mean."

"There," the elder nodded to a passage on the far left, "that is where we will board the jet. This portion of our journey will be much faster, but you will experience a stronger sensation of discomfort during takeoff and landing," he warned.

"Great."

"What you will like, is..." he held out his arm to stop the hanyou as they entered the private terminal, "This is not necessary, at least for the time being." And he removed InuYasha's hat.

"Huh?" InuYasha quickly scanned the terminal area they had just entered, grabbing for his hat from his brother's grasp. "Are you nuts? Gimme that!"

"There you are, Sesshoumaru-sama! We were beginning to worry!" At the desk by the open boarding ramp stood a male attendant with red eyes bowing to them, his long blue-black hair, held back with a leather cord, fell past his broad shoulders.

"We needed some exercise after that tedious flight from Tokyo, is the jet ready?"

"Yes my Lord, and Jenkins is your pilot for this flight. I trust that is satisfactory?"

"Jenkins..." Sesshoumaru looked at the ceiling briefly, trying to place the man. "Ah, yes... The one with the hanyou mate. Did she whelp on schedule? I remember she was due any day when I left for Tokyo."

"Yes! She had twins, a boy and a girl!" beamed the attendant, who then looked expectantly at InuYasha. "May I be so bold, my Lord... is this your long lost brother come home to us?"

"Indeed... Mantocleir, this is my brother, InuYasha. InuYasha, this is Mantocleir, one of my retainers."

"Retainer?" InuYasha scratched his now bare head between his ears which were twitching freely with his confusion.

"I have been in Lord Sesshoumaru's employ for about 75 years now, give or take. It is an honor to finally meet you, Lord InuYasha." Mantocleir bowed formally.

"I'm no Lord, oh Kami... don't do that..." frantically he looked at Sesshoumaru. "Will you please make him stop? What the hells is going on here?"

"Your reputation has preceded you, little brother," and Sesshoumaru smiled, no longer trying to hide his pleasure.

"Reputation?" InuYasha scowled, not understanding.

"Are you not _the_ InuYasha? Slayer of the bane Naraku? The adventures of the Great Dog Boy, are widely known among our people!

"Heh, Dog-Boy?" he looked to his brother, "That's what Kagome called me, usually just before she sat me..." he chuckled.

"Your adventures with the miko... have become legend, little brother."

"What are you saying? I don't get it..."

"If I may, my Lord." Mantocleir waited expectantly for the greater demon's approval.

"Proceed," Sesshoumaru nodded his approval.

The red-eyed man then proceeded to tell InuYasha the story of his life in a great rush, from the day he was sealed to Goshinboku, then released by a young miko who then journeyed with him and others in the search for the fragments of the Shikon no Tama, right up to the final demise of Naraku and even how the very last tiny shard was found. He had told only one person about that last shard. And that man had not been demon.

"How does this guy know all this?" he turned to Sesshoumaru, who just stood there with a ridiculous grin on his face. "Come on! Give! I know it wasn't you, because I never told you where the last shard was."

"You did tell someone. And they deemed it worthy of a story."

"Old man Souta... right after we found it... a couple of years before Kagome died... but how long ago was that?"

"Long enough." Sesshoumaru directed InuYasha toward the ramp, "We are boarding now, notify Jenkins."

"Yes my Lord." As the two men walked down the ramp, InuYasha overheard the retainer reporting, "Elvis has left the building, I repeat, Elvis has left the building." and a tinny response of "roger that."

"What the hells does that mean?" he demanded. "Who is Elvis?"

Sesshoumaru laughed, "I am... that is their code for when I am boarding."

"Why Elvis? I don't get it..."

"You say that a lot, half-breed," Sesshoumaru was enjoying letting his hair down so to speak. His younger brother's ears were twitching with consternation, and he was enjoying that too. He had waited a very long time for this day.

"If you find your miko, how will you communicate with her? Your understanding of the culture of these times is minimal, and English ... well... you are going to need a crash course in Americanisms, I can see this."

"Americanisms? All I want to do is find Kagome, and pick up where we left off."

"That is much easier said than it will be to do, all things considered." He gestured for InuYasha to enter first, when they reached the doorway of the jet. "Welcome to the 21st century, half-breed."

InuYasha's jaw dropped as he entered the plushly accommodated cabin of the jet. Thick carpeting cushioned the floor, with artwork hanging on the walls. There was small area with a metal basin which had a curved pipe opened just above, and strange metal coils set within a metal enameled base, and toward the back he saw replicas of the torture devices called seats on the airliner, only these were wider, and better padded. Sesshoumaru brushed past him and set his luggage down, then removed his white trench coat dropping it across a rotating seat by the dark wood grained table.

InuYasha raised a foot, with an inquiring look, and Sesshoumaru nodded, promptly removing his own soft slippers, with his brother quickly following his lead. He then dug into his bag and pulled out his fire-rat hakama, and looked around for a place to change.

"It is only the two of us here, half-breed... change where you are," and the demon averted his gaze politely. " The flight will take approximately 5 hours, then we will have to resume the costuming, until we arrive at my home just outside the city."

"5 minutes to takeoff, Sesshoumaru-sama. Do you have any needs, my Lord?" came a disembodied voice.

"No Jenkins, thank you... all is well."

"Yes my Lord" and then there was a faint click, just as the engines began to whine at higher and higher levels.

InuYasha's ears flattened at the increase of pitch and volume. "You have a house there? You didn't mention that." He winced, quickly belting his kyhan and hakama then raised his his arms up around his head, moving to one of the flight chairs. "Why did you come to Tokyo in the first place?"

"I have made it a habit for many years to travel to Tokyo in the late winter and stay for at least two months.

"Why would you do that? That's the coldest time of year. I guess I made you cut your stay short this year." InuYasha looked apologetic.

The jet slowly began moving, as it taxied into position for takeoff.

"Cold is less of an issue for this Sesshoumaru than it is for his brother."

"I hate it when you talk like that," InuYasha growled through clenched teeth.

The jet began takeoff and as it increased speed, InuYasha grimaced, feeling the sensation of his stomach being left somewhere back on the tarmac. Sesshoumaru had seated himself next to the hanyou and as the familiar whine started deep in his brother's throat, he reached over placing his hand on his brothers wrist.

"It will pass soon... The reason this Sesshoumaru has visited Tokyo at this time of the year is because..." he took deep breath, then sighed, " it was this time of year, that his errant half brother disappeared 500 years ago." He looked forward, his jaw set, expression unreadable, yet still gently grasping InuYasha's wrist. The jet leveled out very quickly, and InuYasha looked down at the clawed hand holding his wrist, wondering when it was going to start dripping poison.

ooOO0OOoo


	5. Chapter Four

A/N : I do not InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Four

"That dinner was awesome, I am so stuffed!" Selene moaned as she laid back on the overstuffed sofa that was covered in pillows.

"Now all she needs is to be mounted..." Michael waggled his brows in imitation of Groucho, while waggling a chopstick like a cigar.

"Can it, monk" Selene looked toward the ceiling as she tried to suppress a grin. "Who the hell uses chopsticks to eat potato salad, anyway?"

"I do. . . You should try it. . ." he muttered while chewing his last bite.

"Thank you KFC!" praised Kagome as she brought a fresh pot of tea to the coffee table. "Sure beats cooking..."

"Sure beats the ramen I was planning on nuking," added Michael. "I've been meaning to ask you, Selene my love. . . just why is it you refuse to cook for me?"

"I burn water," she responded blandly.

"Good reason, dear. . . thank you for the update," he turned to Kagome as she sat on the floor to pour the tea, "Excuse me, miss. . . are you spoken for yet?"

"OK, monk.. THAT'S IT. . . I am going to bean you!" Selene gracefully flipped onto her feet, and cornered her wayward fiancée knocking against the table in the crowded sitting area as she straddled him, tickling him into near hysterics.

Michael, palms out to ward off the attack, wheezed, "My dear Sally. . . Surely you misunderstand my intentions!"

"OK guys!" Kagome called time out, "help me clean up this mess." The tea had landed more on the table than in the cups, and Kagome grabbed for more napkins passing them around.

"Pervert. . ." muttered Selene, as she dabbed at a puddle.

"And you know you love it. . ." responded Michael in kind. It was a regular routine of theirs, and it still made Kagome giggle. A winsome expression brushed across her features as she thought about the happiness the two shared. Maybe she would one day find that kind of happiness.

"No damage done," Kagome smiled brightly, "lets get our instruments!" She had been looking forward to this session for days.

"Ok Kagome, play that piece you played for the class today, I will follow with the drum and Sally can get a feel for what you are trying to convey."

"First I have to set the scene," she suggested.

"Which story is it, Kagome?" Selene picked up her shamisen, and began testing the tone, tuning as she listened.

"I decided on 'The Miko and the Hanyou'. But it's abridged for time."

"I would think so, I love that story, but it's so long!"

"I really want Momma to narrate, though I know that's stepping pretty far from tradition."

"This is a cultural fair, dear. . . if Dikes on Bikes can do their thing, so can you." Selene smiled wanly at her adopted little sister.

"I suppose you're right. OK, here goes," and she took a breath and began to play the antique instrument. Michael slowly tapped out an accompaniment, and within 4 measures, Sally joined in on the shamisen. All three pairs of eyes widened as they heard the distinctly Japanese blending of the sounds. Kagome could feel the leaves rustling on Goshinboku, and in her mind's eye, she saw the boy stuck to it with a sacred arrow. She became lost in the music and the feelings, as if _she _were the miko who had found him and taken pity on him, as she walked around the tree to examine his predicament. A strange chill ran up her spine as the melody finished, with Michael and Sally ending in unison. For several moments, no one spoke as the sound of city traffic hummed in the background.

"Wow" was Michael's only commentary.

"Ditto" added Selene.

"Was it me . . ." Kagome paused for second, "or did something just happen here?"

"Too bad we didn't record that, it was. . . amazing," recounted Selene with awe, as she set her instrument to the side.

Kagome felt another strange chill slide up her spine, as goosebumps broke out on her forearms.

"Oi! Is this anything like those 'aftershocks' you talk about, Sal?" she held out her arms. Selene broke out into a fit of laughter.

"Those are after either earthquakes or great sex, 'Gome! Granted that was. . . just wild. . . but I don't know if I could compare it to great sex..."

"Well, it's not like I have any experience there, it just seemed so . . . moving. And then the goosebumps came afterward. It's really weird, it's like. . . I _saw_ the hanyou on the Sacred Tree, with an arrow in his chest. Like I was actually _there!"_

_"_Oh 'Gome, you're spending way too much time with these stories," Selene warned, then aside to Michael, "I think she's losing it, monk."

"Stop it, Sally, she's just fine." chided Michael. "It _was _beautiful, and even though I didn't see a boy stuck to a tree, I _was _very moved by it. We need to set up a recorder for the next session I think. This piece is worthy of archiving."

"No, she's right, Mikey. . . that was unnerving." Kagome set the flute down on the table and glared at it. "Maybe I should go talk to Momma tomorrow. She seems to always have a reasonable explanation for things, she will help me get more grounded."

"What you need, little sister. . . is a_ man. _I don't see how you live like you do, you are so full of love for everyone, and no man to feed _your _heart. I think you are secretly in love with the Dog-Boy... you spend so much time on his story." Selene sat back examining the increased rosiness of Kagome's cheeks. "I knew it! Hit the nail RIGHTon the head!" She proclaimed.

"Oh geez, Sally! Give the girl a break, huh? She didn't tell you about her new suitor?" Michael bounced up, in her defense, "Why just today he practically asked her out, I think he was a little shy with my being there. . . You didn't tell Sally about. . . Connor?" he winked surreptitiously.

Kagome glared at the man, a momentary flash of disbelief crossed her features, then it registered what he was trying to do. He was trying to save her face with this revelation.

"Oi, Michael, he's cute and smart, but I just don't know that he's my type, really," she giggled, and looked at her hands still holding the flute. "I mean you _did _kind of scare him off. I'm not so sure that I want to get too chummy with someone who runs off at any hint of competition, you know?"

"True, true. . . but the point is, you have taken some time to consider what he has to offer you, which is certainly not how a woman _in love with a legend_ would behave, am I right, Sally?"

"I suppose you have something there, monk. I swear one minute you're a total perv, and the next you come up with a piece of wisdom that marks you as a sage." Selene moved down to the floor to sit on Michaels lap, "am I a lucky girl or what?"

"I am the lucky one, my dear Selene," and he leaned around her for a kiss.

Kagome sighed, "One day my prince will come. . ." she watched her two best friends fondly. Again she felt the chill crawling up her spine, and looked on her forearms to find the goosebumps. Rubbing her arms, she leaned over and took the teapot, "anyone want more tea?"

"I'm good," responded Michael, "Hey, were you serious about going to see your mom tomorrow?"

"Sure, I think it's time. I haven't been out to the retreat in a couple of months, and it's vacation now."

"Want some company?" he asked hopefully.

"What have you got up your sleeve, monk?" his fiancée tugged at his collar, looking suspiciously into his eyes.

"Why nothing. . . I merely wanted to go see Momma Higurashi. . . maybe get a reading. . . soak in the spa. . . you know, play the 'starving student' and get her to make some Oden..."

"Oh, man. . . That sure beats the nuked ramen I am going to get to eat while you are off luxuriating, _monk_."

"You can come too, Sally! We'll make a weekend of it!" piped Kagome.

"Bad luck, I have to do weekend duty. I'm the new guy, remember?"

"Oh," Kagome looked crestfallen. "I forgot, gomen nassai."

"Aw, it's no big deal really, I am supposed to spend some time with my little brother, anyway. I thought I would take him to the zoo, he really loves the animals." She stretched, and glanced at her watch, catching Michael's eye then glancing to the door she signaled that it was time to end the visit.

"What time will you be leaving, tomorrow Kagome?" Michael asked, as Selene rose off his lap. His eyes followed the curve of her rear end appreciatively.

"Oh, I don't know... should I rent a car since we both are going?"

"Sure, and we can bring the pipe and drum show with us, show off to Momma. It's all too much to carry on the transit." He rose, taking his fiancée's hand.

"Ok, I will pick you up around 10. _Please_. . . don't stay up all night."

"Whatever are you talking about, Kagome-chan? Of course I will be ready for you when you arrive in the morning," his eyes wide with boyish innocence.

"That's what you said last time, and it was 2 before we actually got on a train, baka."

"Sally, did you just hear that? She called me _baka_!"

"I heard. It's better than calling you a tool..." she smacked his butt, "Get a move on lil doggy."

"Hey! That's mine!" he whined grabbing his behind as she herded him to the door.

Kagome stood looking confused, then suddenly her face brightened and she started laughing.

"Oi! I just got it! baka and vaca. . . move along lil doggy. . . you guys are such a hoot!" slapping her knee. Her own southern drawl was such a poor imitation, it made even _ her _wince.

"What's she talking about?" Michael whispered urgently in Selene's ear.

"Vaca in Spanish is a cow," she informed him.

"Oh. . . Now I really _am_ insulted!" He moved like the wind, to grab Kagome around the waist, hugging her tight, then tickling her mercilessly, till her laughter was causing her to gasp.

"Eeeeeee! Mikey! Mikey! I gotta pee! Eeeeeee!"she cried, collapsing onto the floor, writhing.

"I'm not a cow!" He triumphantly pronounced, raising his right arm into the air, as Kagome gasped for breath on the floor.

"But you _are_ an idiot," she heaved as she pushed herself up. "Now I gotta go change clothes." she made a snarling face at him, as his eyes, wide with shock were suddenly hidden behind his hands.

In a tiny voice he apologized. "Gomen, gomen, gomen!" he squeaked, hunching his shoulders protectively around his ears.

"Go home!" she commanded, pointing at the only exit and they both obediently turned toward the door. "10 o'clock, don't forget!"

"Yes Higurashi-sama, I won't forget," and he pushed Selene through the door, turned and stuck out his tongue, then successfully dodged the thrown pillow by dashing through and slamming the portal with a loud 'THUD'.

"That baka is going to get me evicted, yet," mused Kagome smiling and shaking her head.

ooOO0OOoo


	6. Chapter five

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Five

"Humans are very vulnerable, as I am sure you know. They fear anything that they do not understand." Sesshoumaru poured a cup of lemon grass tea, offering it to InuYasha. "It will take the edge off of the flight sickness."

"I really don't feel so good," the younger brother moaned as he leaned to the side.

"This is really very good," the demon took a sip from the cup, then offered it again to his brother. "Trust me, it's helped me many times, little brother."

"Oi! Would you stop calling me that?" InuYasha sat upright and glared at the pristine ceramic tea cup his half-brother held up for him. "Guess it's not poisoned, since _you_ had some of it." and he took the cup, sniffing the contents. It smelled like part of Kaede's garden back in Edo. Fresh and good, he tasted it cautiously.

"Very well, then. . . what would you have me call you?" Sesshoumaru inquired.

"Huh?"

"If you do not wish the honorific of brother, what would you have me call you?" He raised his brow, waiting for his answer.

"Hells, I don't know. . . why not halfbreed? It's always fit. . ." InuYasha trailed off, as he watched over the rim of the cup to see a momentary shadow cross the demon's features. What was that look? It wasn't anything he had ever seen before on that stoic face. . . could it have been. . . no surely it wasn't. . . _regret_? "What the FUCK is wrong with you, Jackass?" He set the cup down, forgotten.

"Is it so much. . . for this Sesshoumaru to ask his brother how he wants to be called?"

"Kuso!"

InuYasha, got up from the table and began pacing beside the it. " Call me what-the-fuck ever you want, I don't care. . . I just feel like there's something you haven't told me. . . Something that you're going _spring_ on me, dropping the whole damn floor out from _underneath_ me." He stopped, scowling, then leaned onto the table with both hands for emphasis.

"You are just _posing_ as my brother, damn it! I never _had_ a brother! Where was my brother when our father died? I was still wearing swaddling! Where was my brother when my mother withered away with grief from the loss of the 'Great Inu no Taisho'? Those fucking humans drove us away, where was my dear brother _then_? I will tell you where he _was _the day my _greatest gift _was bestowed on me. . . _TRYING TO TAKE IT FROM ME!_" He slammed his fists down on the table, shattering the fragile tea cup, as red began to bleed into his eyes, and warm stripes began fading onto his hands and cheeks. His breath had become ragged from the tirade, and he bared his fangs in a snarl at the self possessed bastard that sat before him.

Sesshoumaru had not flinched, though he knew very well the enraged demon before him could kill him in one swift swipe of his clawed hands. He had known how formidable an opponent his half-brother was, ever since the day he had lost his left arm to him in the battle over Tetsusaiga, a sword that Sesshoumaru couldn't even touch, let alone _command_. His little brother had never been _just_ a filthy hanyou. It had taken centuries for him to see beyond his prejudices, and jealousies. The enraged demon InuYasha had become still leaned on the table, waiting. . . waiting for either an answer, or a move to arms.

Sesshoumaru's greatest desire was for there to never be bloodshed between them again.

Though it was not in his nature to back down to anyone or anything, he refused to move against his own blood ever again.

"InuYasha. . ." the name was spoken softly, and with great respect.

"Jackass. . ." came his reply through ragged breath.

"Have you ever in your experience, known of this Sesshoumaru to tell a lie?" He was taking a risk, trying to calm the frayed nerves of his sibling, before things were too far out of hand.

InuYasha closed his mouth, red eyes dancing side to side as he thought about this question.

"Just WHAT the FUCK does _that_ have to do with where my brother was?"

"InuYasha. . ." he began again, "you cannot recall an event like that, can you?"

"Get to the point, bastard.." he growled in response.

"Do you recall what this Sesshoumaru said when we were back at the terminal?"

"That Sesshoumaru bastard said a lot of things. . ." the beast panted.

"Brother should not plot murder against brother."

"You sure as _Hell _wanted me dead that day, at father's tomb!"

"And the feeling was mutual, was it not?" he swallowed, almost imperceptibly.

"Then talk to me about the deal you made with Naraku, _kusoaryou. _You used a _Shikon Shard_ to try to take Tetsusaiga, and a stolen _human arm _to wield it? What kind of audacity is that? And you ask _me_ if I have ever known you to _lie? Isn't that kind of shit the same as a lie?"_

"InuYasha. . ." The clarity of his transformed brother's memory of the events was uncannily accurate. So long ago.

"Don't talk to me about brotherly love, bastard. I learned the _hard way_ that it doesn't exist!" He snarled, baring his fangs again, his ears at total alert. The visage was as surreal as it had been the last time Sesshoumaru had encountered it, only then the little miko had intervened.

"InuYasha. . ." his voice remained gentle but steady, the painful daggers of his ancient errors pained him, but he showed no vulnerability as he reached out slowly to touch his brother's hand.

"Those long centuries ago, I made. . . grave errors." He felt InuYasha flinch at his initial touch, but he persevered. He had to break through to him, through the demonic aura. "This Sesshoumaru has many regrets, InuYasha. Why do you think it is that I traveled to Tokyo every fall? To find _you_. You were so despondent, even picking a fight with you did no good. This Sesshoumaru did not know how to undo the damage that his greed and prejudice had caused."

The enraged demon's breathing had become less ragged as he glared into the golden eyes of his elder. The touch on his hand soothed and reminded him of his ultimate quest, to find his miko. Slowly the red faded from his eyes, and the glare became an exhaustedly awed stare. He looked down at his hand being pet by the Demon Lord, scrutinizing the claws and finding no hint of poison, he slumped onto the table.

Sesshoumaru imperceptibly sighed in relief.

He had only once seen anyone succeed in calming InuYasha this way, and he truly hoped that his brother was right, and the remarkable little miko was again alive somewhere and awaiting him. If she indeed was, they had a lot of work to do to prepare. And if she was, then he had hope of finding someone he himself had lost, long ago.

"Uhng" groaned the fully restored hanyou, a little worse for the wear. "What happened?" he tried to raise himself from the table and Sesshoumaru rose to assist him "FUCK!"He shouted twitching, then grabbing at his head with both hands. "My head hurts. . ." he then mumbled.

"You had an. . . episode. . . little brother," Sesshoumaru guided him around to the built in couch across from the table, and bid him to lay down.

"I turned, didn't I?" his arm covered his eyes, and his ears drooped flat against his skull.

"This Sesshoumaru angered you. . . without intent," he seated himself beside his brother. "I am sure the stress of the journey aggravated an already difficult conversation between us. Perhaps we should try again, on a better day."

"Uhng. . . sure. . . whatever. . ."

"You are remarkably articulate in that. . . state. . . its a shame you don't remember," Sesshoumaru reached over and touched the arm not covering eyes. "We have much work to do, you and I. Rest until we land."

"I just need to find Kagome"

"I know, InuYasha. . . I know," and he squeezed the arm gently, as he rose to begin making the calls. Walking to the intercom, he pushed the button.

"Yes my Lord?" came Jenkins immediate response.

"Set up the phone, Jenkins, and pipe in some music. What is our ETA?"

"11:54pm my Lord, skies are clear, minimal fog. . . for a change sir."

"Excellent. My brother is resting at the moment, please use all caution against turbulence."

"Of course my Lord. Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"What is it Jenkins."

There was a hesitation.

"You really did find him this time, Sir?"

"Yes. . . Found him exactly where expected."

"I am happy for you, Sir."

"What are our chances of getting a car onto the tarmac today?"

"I will make the call Sir, probably pretty good considering our timing."

"You are pleasing me to no end, Jenkins. Oh, and by the way congratulations, I hear your twins are healthy. . . be sure to come and talk to me before we depart, and you can meet my wayward sibling," he glanced over at the sleeping hanyou. If he had been fully human, he would be perhaps in his middle 20s. His heart filled in a way he never had believed he could experience.

"As you wish, Sesshoumaru-sama"

Once upon a time he had been so certain that his brother and the miko were simply confused as to who was master and who was the pet . He only had his relationship with Rin to compare to what was obviously something very different between them. This concept of soul-mates. . . together beyond one lifetime, intrigued him. Of course it was solely a human phenomenon, but still, he found it fascinating.

Seating himself to the rear of the cabin, he picked up the phone, and began making the calls that were necessary to prepare his household staff for the arrival of . . . he stopped considering. They never did get clear on what he was to call him. His name, but only within the confines of home. _What will we call him. . . _and Sesshoumaru's eyes sparkled as he waited for the call to go through..

"It is me. . . we are coming in. . . I have a guest. . . yes, please make up the cliff side room and prepare for an extended stay. Also, I need you to find some tutors. He's a little rough around the edges, he needs English. . . American of course. . . no, also cultural. . . I want him to pass for American born, and in short order. . . is he trustworthy? How dare you question. . . don't play the fool with me. . . I want him to get everything he should have gotten while growing up. . . then add extra security if you have to, he is staying with _me! _Do you have a report for me? Alright, proceed. . ."

A lengthy silence ensued, and InuYasha rolled to his side, his headache abating. His eyes drifted across the dimly lit cabin to the window, where he gazed upon a waning moon. He had a couple more days before first night, and he would need to decide just _how much_ he could trust Sesshoumaru.

"He WHAT?" The shout from the back of the cabin made InuYasha jump high enough he banged his head on the cupboard overhanging the couch he had been reclining on.

"Uhng" he moaned, rubbing the tender spot just south of his left ear. He could hear hissed muttering in some other language emanating from the jackass's mouth. He really did wish he could remember the conversation they had been having earlier.

"InuYasha. . ." he looked up to see the Demon Lord standing by the partition to the rear of the cabin. "Are you better?"

"Feh. . ." he grumbled rubbing the little knot below his ear. "Tell you what, you call me Halfbreed and I will call you Jackass, sound like a deal?"

"You prefer to be insulted?"

"It's what I am used to, jackass. . . it's either that or 'old man', or 'bastard' or. . ."

"Enough," Sesshoumaru firmly commanded as he gave his brother a quick physical evaluation, "How long has it been since you have seen battle. . . halfbreed."

"Hn. . . lemme think," he held up his fingers, feigning a count, "about 500 years or so. . . why?"

"This Sesshoumaru is gravely serious. . . how long for _you?_"

His ears went to full attention, "about a month, why? What's up?"

"We have had some unwanted visitors, while I was away. We need to find them, and stop them from doing any more damage."He walked over to the case which held his twin swords, opening it deftly with one hand and pulling Tokojin out to examine the blade. "This. . . wolf. . . has been a thorn in my side for too long."

InuYasha's ears twitched and a scowl darkened his face. "Did you say. . . wolf?"

Sesshoumaru, turned to face his brother his blade resting on his shoulder. "Yes. A Wolf-youkai. He came from Japan about 50 years ago, and has repeatedly broken the treaties we carved out with the native youkai. He's a savage, and cannot be civilized... it's time to end his misery."

"What is this guy's name?" InuYasha was tense with expectation. _It couldn't be. . . _

"Kouga," Sesshoumaru looked out the window, noting the phase of the moon. It was at a fortuitous position for him for battle. Turning back to his brother he found him bobbing his head with a cynical smirk on his lips.

"I know him, he's an ass." He rolled his eyes. The Kouga he knew was more irritating than truly dangerous. "Kagome had him eating out of her hand, in nearly no time. . . right down to finally giving up the Shikon shards he had been sporting for years, without serious bloodshed. She had a way about her with negotiations, but when it came down to it she could be a power to be reckoned with."

"I know this to be true about her." Sesshoumaru, caught InuYasha's eyes, "We don't have the miko now, we have to deal with him in our own way."

"I'll gladly help you spank _that_ puppy. . . heh," InuYasha tossed his head, smirking wickedly as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Good, get your sword."

"Huh?"

"This Sesshoumaru is not accustomed to repeating himself, however for your benefit. . ." He sighed. "Get your sword. . . _now." _ Then after a moment passed while their gazes locked, ". . . _please_."

"Damn, this _must _ be serious. We haven't even landed on the ground yet!" InuYasha rose and crossed over to his two pieces of luggage. "Will I have to fight wearing those damn western pants?"

"No, change completely to the hinezumi, you will need the protection." He seated himself in the swiveling chair, politely turning away from his brother as he changed. "His pack has grown the last few years, and the rumors are that they have resorted to human attacks for sustenance."

"He promised Kagome he would never do that again. . ." Pulling his undershirt on, his speech was alternately muffled, then clear, "so he's not only an ass, but an oath breaker too. It will be my pleasure to remind him of the promise he made to Kagome."

Inuyasha, stopped just short of belting Tetsusaiga. "Oi, Jackass! When did you start caring about the demise of humans?"

Hearing the brush of fabric cease, Sesshoumaru twisted around in the chair, examining his brother. "Soon after you disappeared, this Sesshoumaru found himself pondering the conditions of... this world. The relationship you had with the miko was fascinating, and your wreckage upon losing her was disturbing. It was then that this Sesshoumaru began. . . re-evaluating his ideas about the value of human life, regardless of how short it may be."

"To a demon it is fleeting, but to a human it's the exactly right amount of time. It doesn't lessen the value of the individual life," Inuyasha tried to rephrase it to better understand it.

"Precisely. . . as well renowned 20th century human philosopher once said, 'it is all. . . relative.'" Sesshoumaru eyed his legendary brother. "There is so much this Sesshoumaru has to show you, involving just how remarkable humans can be."

"I already know that they are remarkable, Jackass. . . I _AM _half human, after all." His sneer didn't contain its usual intensity as he finished belting Tetsusaiga.

"Indeed you are, little brother. . . indeed you are."

_ooO0Ooo_


	7. Chapter Six

A/N : I do not own the characters featured in this work of fiction, they are copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. HOWEVER... I DO own an overactive imagination...

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Six

Toweling her hair dry, after a shower, Kagome slipped on her fluffy terrycloth robe and padded barefoot through her too quiet apartment turning off the unnecessary lights. Picking up the few empty containers of their fast food repast, she carried them to the kitchen, stopping to switch on her small TV.

_"Reporting on the city council meet we go to Ricky Takahashi, outside city hall... Ricky? What was the emergency meeting about tonight?"_

It was the news. Kagome didn't care for the news but believed that she needed to know what was going on in the city, since she was trying to instill some sense of civic responsibility in her students. The news was more often bad than good, and it wore on her spirit to hear too much negativity. Even Sally knew this, and kept her shop talk to a minimum since joining the force.

_"Jordan, the emergency meeting was called this afternoon to address concerns of the law enforcement community regarding a string of unsolved crimes within the city. A special request was made to increase the budget to allow for an additional 500 peace officers and support staff. There have been a number of break-ins and seemingly random acts of violence in the last week, focused in the Nob Hill district..."_

"Heaven forbid those poor 'well to dos' have to deal with what the rest of us do. . ." muttered Kagome, as she sat toweling her hair some more. She wondered if Sally was going to be investigating any of those cases.

_"... and the increased levels of private security forces, the council deemed that they would allow for 50 of the requested increase in funding. Here with me is Councilman John Bradshaw of the 45th district... thank you Councilman , for taking a moment with us..."_

_"My pleasure Ricky." The politician beamed on the tiny screen. _

_"Councilman, just what is it that the local peace force is concerned about?"_

_"Well, as you yourself have reported recently, there has been an increase in the reports of break ins and the like," the reporter beside him nodded, "what the renewed concern is about has to do with a sudden increase in homicides. The SFPD is investigating each one diligently, and finding very few clues. Also there has been an increase in missing person reports being filed, and that too is requiring more manpower."_

Kagome sighed. She herself had severely cut back on her post sunset activities lately. The streets just weren't safe anymore. If Sally was with her, being trained in multiple styles of self defense, she felt more secure, but Sally couldn't hold her hand all the time. "Maybe I should take up martial arts," she pondered out loud.

_"So do you think this increase in the budget will solve the problem, Councilman?"_

_"Well, it will be a start. Finding out what has brought about this trend will help us to really solve the problem." The politician looked properly concerned._

_"Do you think it is some religious cult?" prompted the reporter._

_"Oh, I am hardly an expert on that kind of speculation."_

_"An inside source at the SFPD has made that claim," the reporter pushed, causing the politician to look nervous. _

_"Perhaps some of the evidence has indicated that there may be a community mind behind the attacks, but to speculate that it is anything other than organized is perhaps... premature." The politician smiled grimly for the camera._

_"Thank you Councilman Bradshaw" the reporter stepped forward away from the man. "Two known accounts of possible cannibalism are included in this last week's reports from the SFPD, one in the mission district and another from the grounds of the Presidio. This reporter is keeping her doors locked... from city hall, this is Ricky Takahashi reporting."_

_"Thanks Ricky," the female anchor resumed her pose before the camera. "In state news, no new word on the investigation of the Redwood Mangler, although 5 more bodies were found in a cave deep within Redwood National Forest this morning, in varying states of decay." The picture changed to shaky footage, obviously hand held, of emergency personnel congregated around a large cave opening, two carrying a gurney with a black bag buckled onto it. "This brings the total to 35 people found, since the rampage began approximately 4 months ago." _

_"We were hiking, over there..." a young man pointed off to his left, "and Joey, my buddy... he said he heard some strange noises coming from this direction, and as we approached... well... the smell..." he grimaced waving his hand in front of his face. "I found a leg over there," he pointed off to his right, "it looked like it had just been... torn off!" the man shook his head in disbelief, as a ranger approached him and pulled him away. The picture came back to the studio._

"Did I really want to know this," Kagome asked herself, as she picked up the remote, thinking about her mother up in Lake County. Switching the TV off she reached for the cordless phone, dialing home.

"Kagome!" answered her mother, delighted to hear from her daughter.

"Momma, are you OK? How is everything up there?" Kagome rubbed her arm, finding the goosebumps there again. This was becoming ridiculous.

"Just fine, dear. . . it's slow, but that's to be expected this time of year. And you? How are plans for the festival going?" She could hear an exchange going on in the background. "Just a sec, hon. . . will you two please take it to the other room? I am on the phone here. . . OK , sorry about that."

"Who's there Momma?" Kagome inquired, curiously.

"Oh just Taki and Bo, they are fleshing out the design for the new garden and have very different ideas on how it should look. I just told them to plant some cherry trees and it's become some kind of competition between them. . ." her mother sighed.

"I'm coming up tomorrow, and bringing Michael. . . is that alright?"she asked.

"Of course! It's more than alright! Taki! Come here please. . . I need you fix up Kagome's room and the blue room, please"

Kagome could hear a, "yes Higurashi-sama" in the background.

"I haven't seen Michael in ages! Is Sally coming too? Those two haven't run off and gotten married yet have they?"

"No Momma, but soon I think. . . Sally has to work, she got promoted. . . we can talk more about that when I get there. . . Momma?" Kagome bit her lip.

"What is it, little one. . .?" Her mother could always tell when she was troubled.

"I am not so little anymore, am I. . ." Kagome smiled at the pet name.

"So you will be 25 your next birthday, you are still my little one, I don't care how old you get. . . now what is troubling you?"

"You remember when you explained to me how a miko can. . . sense things?"

"It's true, and much more, though you _did _look at me like I was from another planet when I told you that. . . why do you ask?"

Kagome leaned back in her chair, trying to formulate the words to describe just what made this sensation worrisome.

"Tonight. . . it started tonight. . . just this really weird sensation. At first I thought it was just some really lovely music that caused it, you know. . . appreciation for it. . . a physical response. . . but it's still happening."

"Is it constant, or does it come in waves?" inquired her mother.

"Its more like. . . waves. . . like a chill that runs up and down my spine, but more than that. . . it's hard to describe, really. . . I kind of feel silly." Kagome bit her lip again, as she waited for her wise mother's response.

"And a knot in the pit of your stomach, with goosebumps breaking out?" her mother added.

"Yes. . ." she leaned forward in the chair looking at the fresh set that had appeared on her arms.

"Youkai," stated her mother flatly.

"No way. . ." Kagome was incredulous. Not in the city.

"Set a ward on your door. . . _now" _ordered the elder miko. "If you are feeling it that strongly, it is close enough to _feel _you too. Go, do it now, I will wait. . ."

"Oookay. . ." Kagome set the phone down and went to the desk across the room. Opening the bottom drawer, she pulled out a silk bag. Pulling the strings open she withdrew three slips of rice paper with ornate Kanji scrolled on them. "Never thought I would actually use these. . ." she pondered as she crossed to the door, checking the 5 locks to make sure they were all secure, she licked each of the Sutra and slapped them on the door across the crack where the door met the frame. Returning to the phone she said, "I feel like a superstitious fool, mother."

"Better to feel silly and be protected, than have nothing at all between you and a Demon," came the reply. "We really should work on some things. . . when you get here."

"You know, I called you Momma because I was worried about _you. . . _with all these reports about bodies being found in the mountains. . ." Kagome sighed. "You probably have wards all over the place up there."

"I do, it's part of my life. . . and it should become a more important part of your's," her mother stated flatly. "The activity in the forest is most assuredly youkai. . . though modern law enforcement will never accept that. . . Demons are a fable from the past as far as they are concerned."

"How do you know, though, Momma? Is it that you feel them?"

"Most assuredly. And more so lately. I fear that something is brewing and I don't like it one bit, but there is little that only I can do. So I put up my wards, and instruct those willing to learn on what they need to do to protect themselves. Beyond that, I live my days as any other."

"I love you, Momma," Kagome whispered into the phone. She felt so truly blessed to have this woman in her life, superstitions and all. She was a very old soul.

"I love you too, little one. Come see me, and bring your friend. I have someone also coming to see me this weekend that I want you to meet. I think you find him. . . very interesting."

"Oh, Momma, you aren't matchmaking are you?" Kagome giggled.

"No, no, no. . ." her mother laughed. "He's certainly adorable, but not your. . type. . . I think you may take an interest in his family history though, he comes from ancient Japanese lineage, and has an excellent knowledge of our stories. He will be very helpful, I think, in your festival project!"

"Ah, I can certainly use extra insight, and hands as well. . . this is turning out to be more complicated than I had originally thought."

"Well, get some sleep, little one. . . what time will you be arriving?"

"If these stupid chills would just stop. . . arrrgh. . . well, I am picking Michael up at 10 but you know he won't be ready, so count on us around 2ish?"

"I will have an early supper ready then."

"Thanks Momma," Kagome smiled, "for everything."

"Be safe, little one. See you tomorrow," as Kagome pressed the end call button she glanced over at the now warded door, brushing her arms. Stupid demons.

She glanced over at her window, which looked out onto the street, closed and locked. She padded over to it and looked out onto well lit street. It was late enough that there was little activity, as she saw a known neighbor pull up and exit their car. Up in the sky a jet flew, on it's way to approach the airport, passing in front of the crescent moon.

"I should pack, now I suppose," she said to herself. "But first. . ." and she went to the silk bag still open on her desk, pulling out a handful of the Sutra. " I spose one can't be too careful." And she applied two to the window, then followed suit with her bedroom window, which also opened onto the street. Surveying her handiwork, she stood with her hands on her hips shaking her head. "My neighbors are going think I am nuts." Biting her lip, she reached for the backpack that she used for a suitcase, and proceeded to pack for the weekend.

_ooO0Ooo_


	8. Chapter Seven

A/N : I do not own the characters featured in this work of fiction, they are copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi.. It is my greatest hope that no one be offended, hence the ...

WARNING: MATURE THEME – Profanity, Violence, Adult situations, Sexual Innuendo and content.

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Seven

"Jenkins, can we get the local broadcasts yet?" Sesshoumaru's voice was raised slightly as he pressed the intercom button.

"I think so my Lord, we are within range I believe."

Sesshoumaru pressed another button, and a panel slid on the forward wall exposing a large screen, which blinked on showing a slightly snowy picture of cats talking to each other about smell of their litter box.

InuYasha was transfixed to the scene, a look of shocked amazement on his features.

"Those cats are talking?" he sat down heavily not looking away from the screen.

"They are just cats. It is a trick of technology that makes them appear to be having a conversation," responded the demon. "You will find much of this on television, InuYasha. It is a form of entertainment in this era."

"I've seen it before, I still don't get how they put those little people inside that box," he pondered, "Kagome told me once, but it didn't make any sense."

"They aren't really inside, just shadows of them," responded Sesshoumaru as he pointed the remote and changed the station, "there, no more cats."

_ "Well, as you yourself have reported recently, there has been an increase in the reports of break ins and the like..."_ came from the screen.

"Worse now, people that make no sense. . . what is that thing?" InuYasha reached for the remote.

"Not now, halfbreed. . . I want to hear this," Sesshoumaru picked up the remote and moved it out of his brother's reach, his full attention on the screen..

_"... has to do with a sudden increase in homicides. The SFPD is investigating each one diligently, and finding very few clues. Also there has been an increase in missing person reports being filed, and that too is requiring more manpower." _

InuYasha huffed and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms inside his haori.

_"So do you think this increase in the budget will solve the problem, Councilman?"_

_"Well, it will be a start. Finding out what has brought about this trend will help us to really solve the problem." _

_"Do you think it is some religious cult?" _

_"Oh, I am hardly an expert on that kind of speculation."_

_"An inside source at the SFPD has made that claim." _

_"Perhaps some of the evidence has indicated that there may be a community mind behind the attacks, but to speculate that it is anything other than organized is perhaps... premature." _

The growl that emanated from his elder half-brother's throat caught InuYasha off guard. He peered at him, to make sure that it wasn't directed at _him._

"Kouga. . . the bastard has moved in on _my city_." He growled again, reaching for Tokojin reflexively.

InuYasha looked at the screen, then back at the demon. "Huh? How do you know that's Kouga?"

"He had already been terrorizing the forested areas before I left for Tokyo. This is his doing, these things are not being done by any humans. The situation is even graver than this Sesshoumaru had thought." Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the screen where pictures of some kind of recovery were being shown. He nodded to the screen, "this is how it has been for some time. . . this also is his doing. . ."

InuYasha's ears went straight up, as he leaned in to hear the report.

_"...although 5 more bodies were found in a cave, deep within Redwood National Forest, this morning, in varying states of decay. This brings the total to 35 people found, since the rampage began approximately 4 months ago." _

_"_They are filth, his whole pack," muttered the demon. "They are eating humans. . . then leaving this kind of mess behind as though they wish to be found."

_"...and as we approached... well... the smell...I found a leg over there...it looked like it had just been... torn off!"_

The picture had improved measurably, and InuYasha could see a forested area with a number of people milling around, with vehicles where they were loading large black bags.

"Do you have any idea how many are in his pack, now?" The hanyou asked as he brought his legs up cross legged in the chair, leaning forward, chin in hand as he calculated what would be involved in stopping this monster.

"Now?" Sesshoumaru shook his head. "It's hard to say. . . but too many if they are encroaching on the city as it appears."

"So what is your plan, Jackass?" InuYasha sat up straight, then leaned in to conspire.

"We have to go for the heart. . . we must sniff out his camp, and destroy it. . . it will not be easy."

"And you have an idea where it might be?"

"A very general idea, but yes." Sesshoumaru examined InuYasha for a moment. "Have you any idea why he would come here to begin with?"

"No. . ." InuYasha stopped, thinking back. "The only reason for any of his movements in the past were related to the Shikon no Tama, and preservation of his pack. That's why he wanted Kagome, because she could sense the shards."

"You did not destroy the jewel, am I correct?"

"I told you, Jackass.. I buried it with Kagome. Deep in the ground. There's no way anyone could have found it."

"But it was never . . . used. . ." Sesshoumaru looked speculatively at the hanyou. "Could it be that the same reason that you are here, has brought this beast?"

InuYasha scowled. "You mean. . . to find Kagome? But surely she doesn't have the Shikon."

"How did she have it to begin with?" Sesshoumaru took his brother's wrist for emphasis, "Be very clear to me with this, halfbreed. It's important. . ."

"It was in her body. I don't know how it got there, she didn't even know herself. The Centipede slashed her side, and suddenly. . . there it was. . ." InuYasha seemed to be looking far away.

"So. . . then. . . Is it possible that in her current incarnation, she again possesses the jewel?" Sesshoumaru sat back, releasing his brother's wrist.

"You are giving me a brain cramp. . ." InuYasha shook his head, making his ears flap, then rubbed the backs of his hands against his eyes.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," interrupted the intercom.

The demon reached his clawed hand to press the button. "Yes Jenkins?"

"We are approaching for landing, my Lord. Time to buckle up."

"Yes Jenkins. . . Thank you"

He nodded to his brother and they both moved to the flight seats to the rear of the cabin. Their swords adjusted, they each belted and the sensation of the decent began to tug on InuYasha's stomach as he gripped the hand rest.

"FUCK I hate this!" he hissed, his face in a grimace, ears flat against his head.

"This is the last time. . . I promise," and Sesshoumaru once again laid his hand on his brother's wrist. "Welcome home, little brother." and the Demon Lord smiled.

_ooO0Ooo_

"That wasn't so bad. . ." boasted InuYasha as they walked the short distance from the stairs to the waiting car. "Not that I would do it again anytime soon. . ."

"Indeed," acknowledge the demon.

"What was that paper you gave to Jenkins?" he asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

Sesshoumaru stood by the door, waiting for the driver to open it. "We sit in the rear, you get in first," he instructed. The driver did not meet their eyes as he opened the door with a quiet, "My Lord," and InuYasha leaned over to look inside the limousine, which was as richly appointed as the jet had been. He looked at his brother, who urged him in with a nod. With a toothy grin he tossed his bags and hat in, then followed, seating himself to see forward, while Sesshoumaru took the seat facing him, and reaching to the side pressed a button which brought up a screen between their area and the driver's.

Before it closed completely he issued instructions to the driver as to where to go, who nodded, "yes sir."

"The paper was a check, halfbreed. . . a financial promissory note," informed the demon. "A gift to a valued employee, who has pups to care for now."

"Boy, aren't you soft in your old age. . ." teased the hanyou. His only response was a raised brow.

"The way that this Sesshoumaru sees the situation, is that there are two choices. Either we find Kouga's lair, and hopefully Kouga. . . and destroy them. . . or. . . we find Kagome first, since that is what has, most likely, brought him here."

InuYasha fingered his rosary, which had started tingling his skin since the landing. Both options were going to be a major challenge. He watched the lights out the window for a few moments, considering both sides. Kami, he wanted to find Kagome. . . but his brother was right, he had much to do to prepare, he probably wouldn't even be able to talk to her, if what Sesshoumaru had said was right.

"I say it's about time for a good fight, lets find Kouga," he fingered the hilt of his sword.

"I was hoping you would say that, halfbreed," and Sesshoumaru grinned wickedly.

The driver had been instructed to, rather than drive directly to the Demon Lord's compound, take Highway 101 north until further notice. The ride was nearly as tedious as the flight had been for InuYasha, and he would periodically stretch and twist himself around to try to relieve the muscle cramping that came from too much inactivity.

Occasionally Sesshoumaru would point out some configuration of lights in the distance and tell his younger brother a piece of history of the area. Being night, it was not the best time for a tour, but the one grouping of lights on the hill facing the sea was of particular interest.

"There, do you see? On the hill. . . that is my home. . . now your home, InuYasha," he pointed off to the west. "It is a decent property, with plenty of room for you run, and the staff are all trustworthy individuals."

"Are they all youkai?"

"No." Sesshoumaru thought for a moment, "There aren't that many true youkai now. And not all of them see eye to eye with this Sesshoumaru's belief in the sanctity of _human_ life."

"Hn," responded the hanyou. He barely believed it himself.

_ooO0Ooo_

After some considerable time of riding in silence, Sesshoumaru directed the driver to park the car. InuYasha had nodded off a couple of times,the tingling of his rosary abating more and more as they drew further from the city. Lulled by the purring sound of the engine and the mild vibration of the road beneath them, he was unsure just how much time had passed.

"From here we use our own legs," and Sesshoumaru exited the limousine first. "Keep the car here, you packed provisions for yourself I assume?" He spoke curtly to the driver contrasting markedly from the warmth he had exhibited toward Mantocleir and Jenkins.

"Yes, my Lord," the driver responded, not making eye contact.

"Come InuYasha, this way. . ." and he leaped up into the trees. The hanyou cast a glance back at the driver, to see he had settled back with his hat covering his features, before leaping up after his brother to land gracefully on a high limb of a redwood. The breeze was gentle, as it brushed through his hair, it felt good to be outside again.

"I take it you have been here looking before," he commented. Though Sesshoumaru was a good 20 feet away, their keen hearing allowed for them to communicate without raising their voices beyond normal level.

"Indeed. . . This place is not far from where those mutilated bodies were found," the demon responded. "The one's we saw on that news report. . ."

InuYasha lifted his head breathing deeply the scents of the forest around them. There was a faint stink of death on the air. He nodded his finding to the demon, and together they jumped high in the air in the same malodorous direction. He knew Kouga's scent, and _that _was what he sought.

Sesshoumaru stopped on a boulder by a low river some distance away, and motioned for InuYasha to come, pointing down toward a carcass of an elk. There were no sounds, except the rustling of the trees on the light breeze, as InuYasha landed next to the beast.

"You've got some big deer here," he knelt down to examine the remains. Looking up at the demon, he sniffed. "Fresh kill. . . looks like we interrupted someone."

"That is a Roosevelt Elk, halfbreed. The species is endangered, it's illegal to hunt them," Sesshoumaru jumped lightly down beside the hanyou, kneeling to look at the tracks in the sandy dirt.

"The throat was ripped out. . . no man did that." He looked at his brother, who nodded his agreement. Both of them sniffed the air, and together they moved soundlessly in the direction of the tracks, away from the water. Suddenly off to the east, there was a howl. Simultaneously their swords were drawn as they each leaped up into the trees in the direction of the wolf song.

High in the trees, the answering call came, this time from the south. The two looked at one another, knowing fully well no wolf climbs trees. InuYasha raised his head, pulling at the air for some taste of who, or what, that sound came from. The breeze was in the wrong direction, and he snarled, leaping toward the south followed by Sesshoumaru, who moved more easterly spreading their net of observation. The scent of musk was increasing as they pursued the direction of the wolf song, that and the scent of decay. InuYasha wrinkled his nose, wolves were just so. . . nasty. He could barely see his brother off to the east as he continued to try to sniff out the source of the howl, bouncing from tree to tree.

Suddenly there was a bright flash from the east, and yelping as he caught the sight of the demon's whip of light swirling in the air. Moving in that direction, he transformed Tetsusaiga to it's full power, allowing the glow of the sword to light his way. Snarling erupted as he arrived on the scene, to find Sesshoumaru surrounded by a score of unmoving canines, with more moving in. Glancing around he realized that they were surrounded by a huge pack, perhaps 200 snarling wolves moving in, their eyes glowing through the foliage.

_ooO0Ooo_


	9. Chapter Eight

A/N : I do not own the characters featured in this work of fiction, they are copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. This work is merely a fan's musings in a 'what if' environment. Some of the characters are represented as variations on the original premise (everyone has matured, relocated, and many have cycled to another incarnation). It is my greatest hope that no one be offended, hence the ...

WARNING: MATURE THEME – Profanity, Violence, Adult situations, Sexual Innuendo and Content.

This chapter contains fluff with a hint of Citrus for flavoring.

Chapter Eight

"Well, that should do it," sighed Kagome as she pulled extra hard at the Velcro fastening, trying to close the top of her overstuffed backpack. Looking around her room, she put her finger to her lips as she tried to remember what she might have forgotten. It was a long way to the retreat and she didn't want to have to run home for anything silly, like her toothbrush. "My toothbrush! Good Grief!"and she padded to the bathroom to retrieve it, then changing her mind, "I'm going to need this when I wake up, don't want to blow Mikey out of the car with morning breath..."she put it back in the holder, and rubbed her arms again. The chills hadn't stopped, nor had the strange pulling in her midsection, and she flipped off the light switch, wrapping her arms around her middle as she padded her way back to the bedroom.

"Oh this is just silly, why now?" she muttered to herself, taking off her fluffy robe and draping it across the foot of her bed, she turned down the covers, and sat on the edge. She pondered on what her mother had said, and turned to look at the sutras she had plastered around the window. Heaving a sigh, she reached over to fluff her pillows, pulled her legs under the blankets, rolled to her stomach and rested her chin on her hand. "It's probably just hormones," and she sighed again, gazing out the window. She couldn't see the moon anymore, but she could see a shimmering reflection of it's light on the few clouds that hung in the sky. For a brief moment, she thought she saw something far off in the distance, arcing like a baseball when hit out of the field. Dismissing it as a helicopter, she glance behind her to if it had been a reflection... "Now your getting spooked by your own shadow, girl," she muttered as she twisted around to check her alarm and turn off the bedside lamp.

"I am safe, Kami watches over me," she intoned as she closed her eyes. But sleep was illusive, and she turned back over on her belly, hugging her pillow as she watched the clouds out her window.

Off in the distance she could here the humming of the city, like a being unto itself. The occasional siren, or honking of a horn... someone drove down the street with their bass set too high, and she mused about how they would get busted, this time of night. But not by Sally, Sally was no longer a beat cop, and that made Kagome smile. Mikey would be able to rest easier now, knowing that she was in more controlled situations, rather than the hazards of the world of the patrol officer. Life in Japan was very different. It was not nearly so dangerous to be out at night there. The kinds of violent crime that seemed so common here, just wasn't, there.

Adjusting her position, and bringing the blankets over her shoulder, Kagome's thoughts turned to the peace and tranquility she experienced while on her visit to the family shrine. The beautiful Sacred Tree, so very ancient that no one knew exactly _how _old it was. She had spent hours there, in meditation. The family stories all seemed to circle back to Goshinboku. Within the spirit of that tree was where her Kami lived. She had no doubt about it. _And Kami watches over me, I am never alone..._

She closed her eyes, letting her mind drift... _across the sea... to the tree... _

_...the forest was dark, the only light a small campfire. There was no wind, and the fire crackled as she reached for a pot, and pulled a package of instant ramen out of her pack, opening it and dropping it in. There were people with her, and they spoke softly to one another, as she stirred the soup. One by one she filled small bowls, and handed them to the people, her friends... these were her closest friends in the whole world, but she could not make out their faces, as they joked and talked. _

_She heard her name and looked up, golden eyes close to hers, gazing at her with an unsettling warmth and intensity. He spoke to her softly, she felt a physical warmth as he reached around her, to hold her... what was he saying? It didn't matter, really... she relished the feel of the soft fabric of his haori... the warmth of the touch of his hand on her cheek. More talking in the background... the words... made no sense... it was Japanese, a strange dialect... She rested her head on the shoulder of the one that was holding her, and he muttered something to the others that sounded... profane? Or perhaps scolding? He then pulled her by the hand into the darkness, and she followed, feeling safe with him... safer than she had ever felt before, and warm... he guided her through the darkness, his strong, calloused hand gently pulling her._

_Finally he stopped and turned, his hair seemed to glow in the darkness as he reached for her, pulling her to him... those eyes...burning with their own fire as he drew her into a kiss, his lips as soft as rose petals against hers. His hands cupped her face, as his kiss intensified, and she reached up locking her fingers in his thick flowing tresses. Slowly his words began making sense, as he whispered into her ear "Kagome... I could never want any other, it is you, always..." and another kiss followed._

_This had to be heaven, he was so beautiful, and he wanted her? And amazingly she she realised that she wanted only him as she reached to untie the haori, desperately wanting to touch his skin. He pulled at her blouse, his long fingernails not allowing him to undo the buttons... she stopped him taking his hand and kissing it, she reached inside his clothing to feel his too hot skin. She leaned in and kissed his chest. He smelled so good... better than anything she had ever smelled... wild like the forest, and so definitely masculine. _

_Suddenly they were on the ground, the haori under them, and her blouse was gone as she felt his touch, tracing along her neck, those amazing eyes searing into her very soul. "Stay with me Kagome," he said, as his fingers followed the curves of her shoulders, "be mine, Kagome..." and he kissed her neck as his hand continued to softly explore her body, rubbing warm circles around her breasts and stomach. "Kagome..." he kissed her between her breasts, then nuzzled her neck, as he rolled over her, " you have to agree" he prompted her. _

_"Agree," she asked breathlessly, bringing her arms around his powerful back. His hair was falling all around them now, and all she wanted was more of those kisses... those soft, moist, heated kisses. Her hands explored the vast plane of his shoulders, tracing down along his spine to his lean, narrow lower back, and she relished the feel of the powerful muscles. He raised his head, hair falling into her face, and he blew it away, just a hint of the soup base on his breath. "Be my mate, Kagome... or whatever you call it where you come from..." he stopped, at a loss, searching for the right words. _

_"You want to marry me?" she panted, with shock and arousal. He had begun tracing his velvet tongue on her neck, his warm breath on her skin, he replied, "Is that what you call it... would that make us mates?... for life?" He continued with the sweet torture, as she moaned... her concentration lost in the sensation. "Kagome..." he stopped._

_"nani"she responded, breathing heavily._

_"I want you to be mine, forever... Be my mate?" He laid his head on her shoulder, waiting._

_Reason waggled its finger in her consciousness. _Shouldn't I think about this first_... came her self talk. He straddled her on his knees, bobbing his head, to right his errant mane. Those eyes... so intense... She cowed a little, not certain if she had angered him. He put his hands on his hips, and examined her as she lay beneath him. She instinctively brought her arms up to cover her exposed flesh, and he grabbed them, leaning forward to hold them over her head... remarkably she did not feel threatened by this._

_"This is about feeling, Kagome. It's not about thinking. We could waste the rest of our lives worrying about what might happen. I love you... that's all that matters now." It was like he could read her thoughts. Did he know her that well? She could feel his sincerity... and she so badly wanted some more of those incredible kisses. This just wasn't exactly how she thought it would happen... she'd thought that she would one day marry someone in the traditional way, with celebrations and a honeymoon and her family around to wish her well. He released her arms and sat back... She reached up to touch his hair, then rose up to a sitting position to be closer to... those eyes..._

_"I ... love you... too," she stammered, as her heartbeat started to increase, then not really understanding why, she said, "I always ... I always have..."_

_He grabbed her, his arms hugging her in a crush to his chest, "Kami, Kagome, then just say it... SAY YES!" He kissed the top of her head, then slowly lowered her back down, eyes pleading... "I want you..." and he pressed his lips against hers, his tongue prodding gently , then tracing her cheek and a low growl emanating from his chest, as he clutched her shoulder with one hand, the other pillowing her head. Somehow she knew... She couldn't escape this fate, even if she had wanted to, and as the heat pooled between her thighs, she realized how much she really, sincerely... didn't want to... escape... The ache she felt could only be remedied by this one man..._

_"Yes, oh Kami, YES!" She moaned, as his tongue slid down to her throat._

_"About fuckin' time, wench," he growled, nipping around her neck and shoulders, and a thrill shot through her entire body as she felt the evidence of his arousal pressing against her thigh... his velvet tongue lapping just below her ear. Oh yes, this had to be heaven... and she moaned with pleasure as his hand followed the lines of her body, reaching for her hip as he pressed his thigh between her legs, prompting her to allow him access to her own arousal. He cupped one breast, as his manhood gently rubbed against her, his mouth teasing hers... then again she felt his hand trace down her side once again, not stopping at the hip but continuing to the flower of her femininity, timidly touching at first, then fingers... and those fingernails, though they didn't hurt, as he prodded and explored with them. She was on fire, his heat radiating right into her, as he teased her womanhood, all the while running his amazing tongue along her skin. _

_The knot in her lower abdomen growing tighter, she moaned as he climbed fully between her legs, slowly pressing his hardness toward her depths, pelvises rubbing together, she found herself opening herself to him completely, body and soul, as she closed her eyes, drinking in the sensations... Then an annoying, harsh, grating sound began to fill her ears..._

Kagome opened one eye, to see the sun streaming into the room. She quickly closed it again, and blindly slapped in the general direction of the alarm clock.

"Uhng...mmm," She unwrapped herself from around the pillow, and kicked at the covers, bringing her arm up over her eyes. The buzzing hadn't stopped, and she wished it would, though she knew she would have to do something to make that happen. Again she slapped at the clock, hoping she would make contact with the snooze bar without having to move too much. Not having success, she groaned and threw the pillow at the clock.

"Of course I would leave the blind open," she grunted as she scowled at the bright sunlit window, then rolled over and into an upright position on the bed. Traces of her dream floated through her mind, as she smacked her lips, thinking about the toothbrush she had remembered to forget to pack. It was just a dream, but her abdomen still felt a knotted tension. _And who was that guy?_ No one she had ever seen before, and that made her even more uneasy, because she was about to give herself completely to a _stranger_?

"It was a dream, baka," she told herself as she got up and picked up the offending alarm clock, effectively silencing it. Looking at the time, she gasped.

"Kami! It's 9 already?" She hadn't even called about renting a car, yet!


	10. Chapter Nine

A/N: I do not own the characters (or their previous incarnations) Takahashi-Sama does, I only play with them (sometimes nice and sometimes mean) and do not receive any kind of financial benefit from doing so. (I smile and nod to earn my bread :P) I do not wish to offend anyone so here is a friendly...

WARNING: MATURE THEME – Profanity, Violence, Adult situations, Sexual Innuendo and Content.

THIS CHAPTER: Rough and tumble graphic gore and violence.

Chapter Nine

"Call off your pets, bitch," Sesshoumaru commanded, venom in his voice.

Inuyasha followed the demon's gaze as the glowing whip curled back into his hand, leaving only the light of the fully transformed Tetsusaiga to illuminate the scene. Unable to see clearly, he sniffed at the air to find a faint scent radiating above the musk of the beasts below them, coming from high in a tree just beyond his sight. It was the scent of a female youkai, and it was vaguely familiar.

"Why would I do that?" came a low, feminine drawl. "You are trespassing and you know it, dog! This is _our_ territory."

"The land is Federally protected parkland, no one owns it," he countered, unemotionally.

"Human illusions... we don't acknowledge their bureaucratic tripe," she hissed, jumping lightly to a branch on a closer tree, within view. Inuyasha gaped as he recognized this mature Demoness.

"Ayame," he muttered under his breath, taking in the wild beauty that she had become.

"Ah, the doggie brought a friend, I see..." Then raised her nose to the air, " and he stinks of hanyou," a look of distaste marring her features.

"She carries the scent of that asshole," he remarked under his breath to his companion.

"She would," and Sesshoumaru nodded toward the female who had tilted her head to the side, leaning forward to get a better look at Inuyasha, exposing an obvious mark of ownership. "She's his mate."

"That fucker sniffed after Kagome for so long, I guess I just never thought of him as mated."

"This one can be very patient, hanyou," came that sultry drawl again. "It was only a matter of time, waiting for that halfbreed to wear the weak little miko out with his quest... and then Koga would see reason, and choose _me_ over that _old hag_." The Demoness preened herself, running fingers through her hair, and examining her claws.

"Kagome was NEVER an old hag, you bitch!" Inuyasha growled angrily.

The pack below them swelled with renewed snarling and snapping, as some tried to get up the trunk of the redwood, at the intruders.

"Oooo, testy one, isn't he, doggie?" Ayame clicked her claws together, calculating.

Inuyasha glanced down, holding Tetsusaiga out like a torch.

"Methinks thou dost protest too much... Hanyou." Her accent was pure Elizabethan, and yet a low drawl, only the tone could he understand.

"What the fuck did she just say?" He asked, unfamiliar with the language. He spied a limb up and to his right, to which he promptly jumped.

"It's a quote from Shakespeare," Sesshoumaru replied, not taking his eyes off of the Demoness. "It means your reaction to her comment about the miko was... too strong."

"What the hells is a Shakespeare?"

"An English poet... I am surprised you are familiar with the bard, Ayame." He glanced from the corner of his eye to see Inuyasha's sword raised, then slashed down, effectively severing the branch as he deftly jumped away and back down to rejoin his companion. He watched as it careened down upon the horde of beasts below, wreaking havoc as yelping and howling ensued.

"YOU..."the Demoness snarled, "you are... Inuyasha!" Her tone was accusing, "I _knew_ there was something familiar about you... I... I thought you were dead..." she danced to another limb, widening the distance between them.

"Far from it, bitch..." he snarled, "but you won't be able to say the same, if you don't tell us where Koga is..." and he raised his sword threateningly. The wolves had regrouped and were again snarling and snapping below.

"He is... away," she maneuvered, as she danced to yet another limb.

"Call off the wolves, Ayame!" Commanded the Inu-youkai.

"Mmm... no... think not," she glibly responded.

"I don't know about you, Jackass... but I have about had enough of this shit," Inuyasha hissed.

"Agreed," came Sesshoumaru's answer. "The monster isn't here, and I don't believe she knows where he is. I could sense her... anxiety... at the question."

"I can hear you, doggie... whispering does you no good, " taunted the Demoness.

Sesshoumaru drew Tokojin and nodded to his brother... And they simultaneously jumped twirling in opposite directions down from the tree, cutting into the wall of frenzied wolves that awaited them. Inuyasha swung Tetsusaiga in full circles, dancing through the sea of fangs, as fur and gore began to rain upon them. It seemed as though there was no end to feral mob, as the horde seemed to ebb, and then flow back at them. He desperately wanted to use more advanced technique with the Tetsusaiga, but feared that his elder brother would gut him for damaging this pristine forestland.

In the chaos, a wolf connected with Sesshoumaru's calf, and he quickly sliced downward to decapitate the beast, the fangs still clutching, locked on his leg. They could hear Ayame barking from the trees, issuing orders to her minion to continue the fight. He grimaced and shook the head loose, as he began transformation to his true form.

Ayame began to panic, and soon she was transformed to her true nature, and the two snarling demons snapped and parried in the air, as Inuyasha saw even more beasts moving in around him.

_Where the hells did they get all these wolves?_

A loud yelp and low whine reverberated through the forest, and mid swing Inuyasha glanced up to see that Sesshoumaru's form, so like that of their father, had Ayame's throat, fangs deep and blood flowing freely. His distraction allowed a wolf to catch him by the forearm, fangs equally as deep as his brother's were in their mistress's throat. Muscle tore and Inuyasha gasped as he dropped Tetsusaiga, watching with horror as it reverted to the ancient, rusty blade.

"FUCK!" He growled savagely, as he pounded the beast repeatedly with his free fist. A feeling of lost control overwhelmed him, as his eyes bled red, and crimson markings began to appear on his arms and face. Snarling, he plucked the beast off of his arm like it was a flea, and threw it into the wide trunk of a tree, grabbing yet another, before the loud crack of broken bones bounced among the redwoods. He roared, as he plowed through the wolves, one by one tossing them to their deaths.

The one's that were foolish enough to get up, were met with feral claws, and soon Inuyasha was covered in blood, both his own, and that of his enemy. When there were no more, he continued to shred any that were still... whole. He did not stop until the last of them lay small cold pieces.

Sesshoumaru held the throat tightly, tasting the foul blood of the Demoness. His intention was to strike at the heart, and the heart had come right to him, practically begging him to do his worst. And that he did, as he yanked and pulled with all the savagery that had ever been dealt out by this pack of vile creatures. There was no mercy in him as he ripped her throat out, completely, and she fell far to the forest floor, lost in the trees.

Her blood covered his chest., as he coughed and spat the taste from his mouth. Pale morning light had begun filtering through the trees. Divested of his full demonic form, injured, reeking, and covered in blood he made his way back to where he had left the hanyou to fend for himself. He had seen what Inuyasha could do with Tetsusaiga first hand, and knew there would be evidence left of the battle.

What he didn't expect, was the scene that he found.

Braced against a round of burl at the base of an ancient tree, was a shirtless, blood covered hanyou, surrounded by chunks of meat, and swatches of hide. Tetsusaiga lay forgotten some 50 feet away, and Sesshoumaru, finding his own sword, inspected the mess. Not one wolf remained intact while gore was splattered on the trees, and ravens had gathered for a feast, clucking to one another discussing the menu, a few loudly cawing invitations to more. Approaching Inuyasha, cautiously... he saw only faint remainders of the demon marks.

"Uhng," the hanyou moaned, as he rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Make those fucking birds shut up, would ya?"

"Have a headache, little brother?"

"More like a head throb, and I feel like I'm gonna..." and he leaned over to the side and wretched.

"I see that you didn't need any help here," commented Sesshoumaru.

"You were a little preoccupied with the bitch..." Inuyasha brought his legs up and stuck his head between his knees. "So what happened? You're a mess..."

Hn... you should see yourself... we have accomplished our task"

"Do we know where Koga is?"

"He will find us, of that this Sesshoumaru is certain."

"So... you killed her..." Inuyasha looked up at his half-brother.

"We struck at the heart, we will know soon what his intentions are."

"Uhng."

"Come, halfbreed," Sesshoumaru scanned the scene with distaste. "Let's leave this place... we should clean and dress that arm of yours. Get your sword, it's time to go home."

"Right... um..." and he looked around, unsure. "where is it?"

"Over here," and his brother led him to the ancient, rusted blade, abandoned on the battlefield. Once it was safely back in it's sheath, they proceeded to retrace their route, back to the waiting limousine.

Taking their injuries and exhaustion into consideration, they made the trek at their ease, and on the way they stopped at the river, to wash away as much of the gore as possible. Inuyasha dunked his head into the water, then shook himself wildly, showering Sesshoumaru with the spray. Scanning the area, he found the boulder where they had crossed the night before. The sun was fully risen, and there was no sign of the carcass that had drawn them in this direction.

"Where's the deer?"

"ELK, halfbreed... it was an elk."

"Ok, whatever... where the fuck is it?"

"Hard to say..." and Sesshoumaru scanned the area as well. "Perhaps rangers picked it up."

"This far from the road?"

"Or perhaps scavengers, or poachers..." The demon speculated.

"Hn"

They rested for a while by the river, Sesshoumaru taking the break to share some of his knowledge of the land they were in.

"There are panther, and bear-youkai here, in these woods. Though their numbers have greatly diminished, or so... I have been told," he glanced toward his brother as he picked up a pine cone, examining it. "The ancient peoples of this region worshiped them, and would hold sacred dances in their honor. They spoke of them as 'Brother Bear' and 'Brother Mountain Cat', often calling on their aid in the hunt. None of them _would run_ from a kill... not ever." He tossed the pine cone to the side, bringing up one knee and resting his arm on it.

"You've been here a long time, then... eh, Jackass?" Inuyasha peered at the Demon Lord. "This place has gotten into your blood."

"Hmm... Perhaps," Sesshoumaru, let his gaze wander to the ancient trees that surrounded them. "I know I feel more at home... here... now." His half-brothers scrutiny prompted him to elaborate, "the trips to Tokyo were a... diversion, yes..." and he pulled in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air, focusing on the hanyou, "Now that I have finally found you..." and he looked to the sky, "there isn't much reason to return there."

"Come, halfbreed," and he rose to continue their trek back to the limousine. Inuyasha rose, and brushed at his legs, joining him.

"So you really weren't kidding," he vocalized his thoughts, "about coming to find me..."

"This Sesshoumaru is not predisposed to... kidding, " and he raised a brow at as he glanced sideways at his brother.

"Oi, Jackass... You weren't doing too bad when you picked out _that particular_ shirt for me back in Tokyo!" Inuyasha smirked.

"Hn," acknowledged the demon. " I must admit... it seemed... appropriate, considering how you lived your life those last years, after the miko... passed. And after last night, I have no doubt as to how accurate the proclamation is."

"Uhng," Inuyasha moaned. "Don't remind me."

They walked in companionable silence for a short while, each stoically refusing to acknowledge

their injuries, though the demon was noticeably limping. Inuyasha brushed a hand across the deepest of his gouges, the tear on his right arm, as he flexed the muscle he saw that the yellow discoloration of healing had already begun.

"Halfbreed," Sesshoumaru broke the silence, "What was the last thing that you remember, about last night?"

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head, as he tried to pull the scene to memory. "You had the bitch by the throat, I saw it... then one of the wolves latched onto my arm and I lost my grip on Tetsusaiga. I tried to pull my arm loose... then... I ...blacked out."

"So, you have no memory after that," the demon appeared to be having deep thoughts, and Inuyasha's ears drooped noticeably, just before he stumbled on a stone, which drew a curse from him. He halted, and turned back to pick up the offending rock, tossing it up and catching it in his left hand, as adeptly as he would have in his right.

"I _really_ _fuckin' hate it _when that happens..." and he threw the rock forcefully at a low growing myrtle tree some distance away, causing a loud THWACK! And startling a flock of sparrows into the air. He stared after the birds for a short time, as his elder brother joined him.

"Kagome was my only real link with that side of myself," his gaze remained to the distance. "She would always wait, until I was rested... back to myself... before she would tell me just what horrible thing I had done. She was always so gentle about it, so accepting. She really knew me...she _knew my heart_..." he looked over at the Demon Lord, fresh tears brimming in his eyes.

Looking at his half-brother's unreadable expression, he snarled, "So now you KNOW! ALRIGHT? Why I couldn't use the Shikon. I make a _weak excuse_ for a human, and an even lousier Demon! That mess back there? That kind of mess would just be the BEGINNING!" And he stalked off in the direction they had been traveling.

Sesshoumaru didn't move at first, taking in the outburst for what it was, frustration and grief.

"Inuyasha..." he spoke softly, and the hanyou stopped at the sound of his name, not looking back. "This Sesshoumaru would have to disagree with that statement," and he limped to him, placing his hand gently on the younger brother's shoulder for emphasis. Inuyasha's ears came to full attention, as he looked on _this demon_ that seemed to _want _to be his brother. "The worth of a Youkai is not measured only in his strength. It is also measured by his conscience. Both of these things, little brother, you have... in abundance. It is the control that is vexing you, and it is my belief that we can, together, work on this problem." Sesshoumaru graced him with a warm, and quite genuine smile.

Inuyasha was again, left speechless, able only to gaze slack jawed at the golden eyes that reflected his own. _The bastard is sincere..._ and for a moment, he felt shame for his distrust. Sesshoumaru stepped back a pace to examine the exhausted, and banged up visage before him.

"How long has it been since you have really slept?" he asked.

This broke Inuyasha's muted trance, and he responded, "You mean besides the naps during the flight?"

"Yes, I mean _really_ slept."

The hanyou held up a clawed hand, looking at it as he ticked off a count.

"Right... Hmm... about... 500 years," he replied with a completely straight face. Sesshoumaru grimaced only slightly as he reached his arm about his brother's shoulders, a little more for his own support now, than to comfort, as they continued their walk to the waiting vehicle.

"That joke... is getting old very quickly, halfbreed," and the edges of his lips twitched upward.

"Let's go home."


	11. Chapter Ten

A/N : For the record I must make it clear that even though I would love to grab them all up, take them home, and put them in a kennel to keep with me for ever and ever, I do not own Inuyasha or any of his 'gang'. As for the characters, either implied or imagined, any resemblance to actually persons is in fun only, as this is a work of FANFICTION.

CHAPTER WARNING: Contains adult situations, with allusion to sexual conduct.

Chapter Ten

"Well aren't you just chipper and full of mirth today, Miss Kagome," Michael sarcastically observed as he took in her less-than-enthusiastic demeanor. Large, very dark sunglasses pressed close to her face, shoulders forward and where her usual bright smile would be, her lips were set in a thin line.

"Please, don't start with me, Mikey..." she pleaded as she reached for her latte which set in the cup holder of the rental. She took a sip... and gasped as the too hot coffee scorched her tongue and throat. Groaning she put the cup back into the holder, and both hands on the wheel.

"You, my dear girl, look even worse than I did back when I was working graveyard and taking day classes," he mused.

The comparison, however, did not amuse Kagome, as she dropped the glasses to half mast on her nose and glared at her passenger. His automatic response was to raise his hands palms out, to ward off her wrath, as he pushed himself against the door in an attempt to achieve more distance. She pushed them back up, pointedly with her middle finger, then returned her attention to the traffic, both hands back on the wheel.

"Bad night, huh?" he asked apologetically.

"You could say that," she responded, as she swung just a little too sharply onto the on ramp for Hwy. 101 and the Goldengate Bridge, deftly moving through the traffic to jockey a good position for the crossing.

"Would you like to talk about it?" He prodded, curious as to what could cause this kind of reaction in his normally sweet friend. She was more like a sister, than just a friend, the ties ran so deeply. "It might ... help."

"So you can psychoanalyze me?"she snapped. "Maybe include me as a case history in your doctoral?"

"Ouch," and he said no more.

Kagome, replayed that last bit in her mind. _What was I thinking? He only wants to try to help. He's worried about me... heck, I... am worried about me..._ and she formulated an apology.

"I'm sorry Mikey-kun," she sighed. "I didn't mean that."

"I love you, Kagome. You are my best friend in the whole world, well... maybe except my dear, precious Sally..." he stumbled through his mild blunder, "but I hate to see you like this."

"I don't know... really," she tried to put it into an order that someone else could understand. "It all started with that stupid news report..."

"What news report?" he prompted.

"The one about the campers being torn up... in the National Park." she glanced at him.

"They found more, huh?"

"Yeah... really bad this time, dismembered... and then those stupid chills wouldn't stop," she continued.

"Chills... you have a fever?" and he reached over to press a hand against her forehead, surprising her, and she pushed it away.

"Feh... I am fine."

"Well," he leaned back in his seat, "no fever at least... So...?"

"So..." she tried the coffee again, not so hot this time, sipping then putting it back she trudged on in her attempt to explain her surly attitude. "That report gave me the creeps, and I thought about Momma up there practically by her herself..."

"Kagome, she is far from alone up there, there is always someone with her. Taki and Bo live right there on the grounds, only a shout away," he countered.

"True... but I was worried... so I called her," she changed lanes, glancing at the rear view mirror as they entered the tunnel just north of the bridge, and she grabbed at the sunglasses like they were offensive to her dropping them into her lap, better able to see in the lower light level.

"And she was fine... right?"

"Yeah, she was great... Taki and Bo were right there with her," and Kagome smiled for the first time that day. "She was really tickled that you are coming with me this time." Secretly she hoped this would effectively change the direction of their conversation. "Oh! And she said she is making Oden, just for you!" She fibbed.

He gasped, then rubbed his hands together with anticipation licking his lips. "A pot all to myself? Mmmm!"

"Well, I'm not so sure about_ that,_" she chuckled a little.

"Ok, so Momma is fine, she's making Oden, now tell me... why didn't you sleep well?" His ability to stay on topic was uncanny. Kagome cast about in her mind for more ways to avoid answering his question directly... and found none. "Come on, Kagome-chan... Spill it..." and he waited.

Kagome decided that doing just _that_ would be the only way to get him to back off about it, though she wasn't sure what his reaction would be. She took a deep breath, then...

"ShetoldmethatthechillsarebecauseofDemonsandtoWardmydoorbeforeIgotobedandbecarefulbecauseifIcanfeelthemthey.. can feel me,"she took another breath then held it as she glanced furtively at Michael, waiting for his reaction. His eyes had widened as he took in the cruxt of what she had just said.

"Are you serious?"

"Ahuh," she nodded. "I've got sutras all over my door and windows," she reached for another sip of the latte,"but I had to break the ones on the door to leave this morning," she stated guiltily as she took another sip, deeper this time, it was getting cold.

Michael watched her as she drank deeply from the cup. He knew a little bit about Demons, sure... but it was always connected to mythos... remote... ancient like the dinosaurs... dragons... gone... past... not real. Certainly _something_ once real, had existed that was revered and feared, in kind, by ancient peoples. Shrines had been built throughout history to them. In Japan, alone, there was a wide variety of Kami that were recognized. One thing that was for certain to him, Youkai made for much more interesting tales than did dinosaurs.

"I have a question," he announced, breaking the silence.

"You think I am nuts, don't you?"

"Quite the contrary, my dear Kagome... no, _really_!" as he saw the look of doubt cross her features. "Did the sutra help to make you feel more safe? Did the chills stop?" There was sound psychological reasoning behind the use of charms, and he was curious as to how effective they had been for her.

She pondered the question for a moment, "I supposed they did help, some... but I still had that creepy, weird feeling, you know? It was hard to fall asleep."

"I can imagine," he said as he looked out the window, at a loss for words. The landscape had become more rural now, the city in the distance behind them, and traffic was light, which meant they would make good time.

"Then there was that ... dream," muttered Kagome, half under her breath, breaking the silence. Dreams were right up Michael's alley, and this pulled his full attention.

"Dream?"

"Yeah... you know..." Kagome considered out loud, "It was Goshinboku that finally calmed me down... Thinking about it... picturing it in my mind..."

"You had a dream about your family's Sacred Tree?"

"Um... no... actually I'm not sure just _what _it was I dreamed about," she lied, as she felt her cheeks grow warm.

"Tell me about your dream, Kagome-chan... Maybe there is a clue in the symbology that will help us find an answer to your recent discomfort," and he reached to pat her shoulder.

She glanced to the side, embarrassed. "Well, we were camping... I mean I was camping with my friends..." she started hesitantly.

"Go on... outdoors, under the stars... sounds nice... and...?" he urged her on.

"They were talking... and laughing, and I was cooking some ramen... wait... _you were there_... and Sally too... there were others, it was an open campfire out in the forest." She paused, remembering those incredible amber eyes , and the warmth of the hug from the man in the amazingly soft, red haori...

"There is a lot of symbolism right there, perhaps you are feeling to constrained in your life, the ramen is directly related to our conversation last night, about Sally burning water, remember?" His analysis made some sense, to him at least. "Continue..."

"You sound like a shrink," and she grinned. That _was_ his field of study, after all. He winked and motioned for her to go on.

"Well... everyone was talking, and laughing, but... I couldn't understand what they were saying, it sounded like Japanese, but... not... some weird dialect." She looked over at him, and for just a fraction of a microsecond, she saw someone else sitting in the passenger seat. This made her shake her head rapidly to clear it, and she focused on the road ahead, both hands on the wheel in the standard 10 and 2 o'clock positions.

"Sally was right, you have been spending entirely too much time and energy on this project of yours," he studied her worriedly. "This weekend should be just what the doctor ordered, for you."

"Hn," she acknowledged, her thoughts drifting back to the memory of the dream, more vivid than any dream should be. Again the blood began to flush her cheeks.

"There's more?" Michael prodded, sensing she hadn't told him the whole of it.

"Well..." she tried to organize it all into words, that wouldn't make it sound too risque. "Even though I know you guys were there, no names were used... and there were other people there that I knew... but I don't know... does that make any sense?" She felt another chill slip up her spine, and thought _oh Kami, I thought this was over with _as she watched the goose flesh appear on her forearms.

"Ok, so no names were mentioned, that's not so remarkable... since you were among friends."

"Only my name, by one person... while he was... talking to me..." and she glanced at her _oh Kami, this is the last time ever I do this _analyst.

"What was he saying to you, Kagome? Did you understand him, and not the others?" Michael noticed an increase in the brightness of her rosy cheeks.

"Oh... stuff..." she stared straight ahead at the road winding before them, "yeah, I started to understand him... he just talked... you know..." she squeaked in too high a pitch.

A dawn of enlightenment slowly crossed his features, as he realized what she was _not_ saying, and the lecher in him was unleashed, unceremoniously.

"OH... MY... GOD!" And he began laughing heartily.

"Huh?" The chills had turned into something else now, and a cramping sensation deep in Kagome's gut began to annoy her, temporarily displacing her embarrassment.

"Our sweet, adorable... VIRGINAL Kagome... had a WET DREAM!" Michael announced, turning to her with amazement.

"Uhng..." she moaned as she slumped slightly behind the wheel. _Well, it's out now. _

"So... " he moved in closer to her with anticipation, "who was the guy?" His eyes gleamed, "Tell me it was_ me_... oh, please!" And he laughed some more, alternately slapping his thighs with delight.

"It wasn't you, baka" she muttered, under her breath.

"So that is why you have been such a beast this morning!" And he set back into his seat, assuming a position of deep thought, arms crossed, hand rubbing his chin, eyes sparkling as he considered the possibilities among his acquaintances to match with his dearest friend. _Sally was right, she needs a man in her life._

Kagome winced, as she felt a wave of sensations overwhelm her, and she shuddered noticeably. _Something is really not right_.. she thought, as a panic swiftly set in, and then a twinge in her midsection pulled her attention from the road, as she grabbed at her stomach, eyes wide with fear.

Michael gasped as the car swerved, out of control, into the wrong lane, and with lightening speed he grabbed for the wheel, and pulled... just as an oncoming vehicle slammed on it's breaks, skidding to an awkward angle, and Kagome did the same leaving them haphazardly stopped in the middle of the highway.

"Kami!" She wheezed, as she looked across the highway to the limo they had just narrowly missed.

"My god, Kagome... do you need a doctor?" Concern contorted Michael's features.

"I don't know..." she shuddered again, looking at the limousine. "You drive, Mikey-kun..." and she slid across to the passenger side as he jumped from the car to circle around it, where he was met at the midway point by the limo driver.

"Hey, I'm really sorry about that," he apologized, "my friend isn't feeling very well so I am taking over the driving, is everything OK with your people?" He glanced across to the black stretch limousine, the windows darkly tinted so he could see no occupants.

The driver was a short man in his middle years, overweight and breathless with the exertion of the run across the highway, as he looked at Michael, then leaned to look into the car at Kagome.

"My Lords," he panted, "wished for me to inquire about your well being." Michael looked at the limo again, to see a back window slide down several inches. Peering, he still was unable to clearly see anyone.

"Your... LORDS?" He asked, incredulous at the archaic reference. _Who could these people be?_

"Forgive me..." and the fat man shook his head smiling, "I mean... my employer. Is everything alright? Is your friend injured?" And he tilted trying to get a better look at the girl, who seemed to be hugging herself with distress. He then bowed to Michael, slightly.

"My companion will be fine, we will be on our way. Any necessary attention will be available at our destination." He replied, hoping it would dismiss any further inquiry. "And your people? No damage I hope..." he really didn't want the delay of getting the authorities involved, it was apparent that Kagome was not well.

"All is well with my Lords, though they _are _impatient to get home."

"As are we," and he forced a smile at the man. "Please tell them that we apologize for causing a delay, and thank them for the... concern." He caught a glimpse of silver white hair beyond the tinting of the open window.

"I shall, sir." And the driver bowed lower this time, "Good day to you."

"And to you," responded Michael again forcing a smile, as he watched the man run back to the limousine and lean toward the window, obviously making his report. He quickly jumped into the driver's seat and buckling his belt, he said, "Let's get out of here, that was just... weird." And he started the car and gunned the motor. Looking in the rear view mirror at the diminishing scene, he added, "something about that limo gave me the creeps... hey... you should belt up."

"In a minute, it's starting to subside."

"We should be at the retreat soon, your mom will know what to do."

"Baka Youkai," she muttered low, through gritted teeth.

"What did you say, Kagome?"

"Stupid, stupid, stupid Demons... Momma said I could sense them, but she never said it would HURT!"

"You don't think that those were Demons in that car, do you?" he was aghast.

"That fat little driver was one..."

"No... no way..." he shook his head. It was unbelievable, impossible.

She straightened up a little to test the level of the discomfort, then satisfied she took a deep, cleansing breath, as she buckled the safety harness.

"The strongest ones were inside the car..." and she closed her eyes, trying to envision Goshinboku, but instead finding those eyes of molten gold, gazing at her... and amazingly, this comforted her.


	12. Chapter Eleven

A/N: I do not own the characters (or their previous incarnations) Takahashi-Sama does, I only play with them (sometimes nice and sometimes mean) and do not receive any kind of financial benefit from doing so. I do not wish to offend anyone so here is a friendly...

WARNING: Contains Profanity, Graphic Violence.

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Eleven

The sun cast panels that filtered through the trees, as the two followed what had become a narrow trail, the bright sounds of birds chirping around them echoed lightly in the surrounding woods. The trees were smaller here, yet still vast in size. Seeing where they broke just ahead, Inuyasha followed the path of a ring tailed hawk, which circled lazily on the breeze. There was a low rumbling ahead, that he recognized as the sound of vehicles on a road, not unlike what he had heard within the city. This modern era was a noisy place.

"We near the road, halfbreed. Time to move up," informed his limping companion, looking up into the branches. He glanced around sniffing, measuring his environment. He looked down at the demon's injured appendage.

"You shouldn't be jumping around on that leg," the hanyou responded. He stopped, putting his arm out to block the demon's progress. "How far?"

"It's not far," and Sesshoumaru nodded east of where the hawk had been. They were both exhausted, but Inuyasha did not like the idea of confronting mortals, looking like the haggard mess that they were. They had washed somewhat back at the river, but their clothes were still covered with gore, and he knew the sight would bring too many questions, not to mention that he had left his hat in the car.

His ears twitched, as he considered his options.

"Ok," and he turned away from his brother kneeling on one knee. "Hop on," and he pointed to his back. "I can get us there."

Sesshoumaru stood, unmoving as he looked down at the hanyou. His leg was on fire, but he had made the journey this far without complaint. Although he had leaned a bit on his brother's shoulders for support for a time.

"Look, jackass... I really don't like this any more than you do, but the only alternative would be for me to carry you like a _girl._" He started to rise, looking back at his elder. "You wouldn't want anyone to see_ that _would you?" He moved closer, positioning his arms as though he would pick the demon up and carry him in his arms.

"STOP, halfbreed," a look of murder flashed in Sesshoumaru's eyes, though he remained unmoved. "Your arm... will not allow that," he commented flatly, nodding toward the still weeping tear on the inside of Inuyasha's forearm. They both would need attention from the staff healer immediately, once they arrived at the compound. "This Sesshoumaru will not be... carried."

"Well... shit." The consternation caused Inuyasha's ears to twitch, irritably. "You have a better idea, jackass?"

"I said," Sesshoumaru put his hand on his brother's shoulder, then reached around grasping around his neck as he had for support earlier, "it's not far, with mutual effort the trees will not an issue."

Inuyasha looked down to see that the demon had raised his bad leg, and flexing slightly on his good one dipped lightly as he leaned on him.

"Oi, I get it... like a three legged race..." and he grinned and nodded. "Alright then, let's go!"

They jumped together to a lower branch, testing their combined coordination. Sesshoumaru adjusted his grasp a little more tightly and looked up to another branch, nodding. Inuyasha's eyes followed the demon's and they jumped again, this time much higher and to the east, where they could see the park and ride lot, and the waiting limousine.

Progress was slower than it would have been if the demon had allow Inuyasha to carry him, but after a short while of jump, adjust and coordinate to jump again, they reached the trees nearest the lot. There was a wide strip of grassy area separating the tree line and the parking area, and as they reached the edge, Sesshoumaru whistled piercingly, causing Inuyasha to shudder, cringe and pull his ears flat on his head.

"DAMN, that HURT!" He hissed as he adjusted his left arm's grip on his brother. "Did you have to do that right next to my EAR?" The demon glanced at him apologetically as he hopped slightly on his good leg, clawed foot gripping the wood under them. Eyes watching the car on the far side of the parking area, a low growl began to radiate from his chest.

"We are here, idiot," he stated in a slightly louder than normal tone, dripping with anger.

Inuyasha watched the car, then glanced at his brother. Obviously the whistle had been a summons, and the driver had not responded to the command. The demon whistled again, and this time Inuyasha was better prepared, though he did raise his shoulders a bit ducking from the sound, which caused the demon to tighten his grasp. The look of venom in Sesshoumaru's eyes increased, and though there was no scent of it, he glanced down at the demon's claws to make sure they weren't dripping. The engine on the limousine started and it peeled around to the west side of the lot toward them, into the grass and right up to the tree.

The fat little driver jumped out and ran around to open the back door nearest them, then dropped to his knees, forehead to the grass, as though in prayer. Sesshoumaru looked around for any activity, then out to the road as he watched the sparse traffic pass. He then nodded to Inuyasha and they jumped together down to the limousine, where upon Sesshoumaru let go of his brother's neck and in one swift movement, pulled Tokojin, twirled around on his good leg , and sliced down on the driver's neck, decapitating him.

"What the... FUCK?" shouted Inuyasha in agitated shock and confusion.

Sesshoumaru stood next to the body, anger still seething from his countenance. "This Sesshoumaru would do it again, and yet again if time allowed. Slovenliness, inattentiveness, lack of attention to detail... the list goes on," he vented in irritation.

"So you don't like this guy... is that any reason to _kill him_?" Inuyasha, upon hearing an approaching vehicle, jumped to the door and reached into pull his hat from the seat, sliding it onto his head. He didn't know about the body, or the mess their clothes were in, but at least his ears wouldn't be drawing any attention. "Why didn't you just fire him? I mean, _SHIT!_" he continued as he pulled back out of the car.

Sesshoumaru just stood there, his features completely inexpressive.

The vehicle continued on down the road, no sign of the travelers noticing the macabre scene as they passed. It was far enough away, and they were on the far side of the limousine, hidden from easy view.

"Hand me my case," Sesshoumaru directed. Inuyasha looked at him, not certain what he was talking about. Seeing the hanyou's confusion the demon clarified, "the container for my swords."

Nodding, Inuyasha reached into the back seat and pulled out the wide cylindrical case by the strap, and handed it to his brother. It was then that it dawned on him where this was going, and he swallowed noticeably.

Sesshoumaru, with remarkable deftness, hung the case on his shoulder, then opened it with his one hand. Unbuckling Tokojin he dropped his weapon into the case pulling out the twin sword, Tenssaiga. Then removing it from the sheath, he unceremoniously touched the blade to the body laying before them. His task complete, he resheathed the sword and returned it to the case, closing it.

There was horror, and fascination in the hanyou's eyes as he watched the transformation that followed. Even though decapitated, the body twitched and the fingers moved, as he saw the head roll back toward the body, joining at the neck. Now whole, the body shook slightly, and the eyes opened to look around. Rolling to his back, the driver tested his muscles, and brought his hand up to his face flexing it, before slowly rising, to stand in a subservient bow before his lord.

"Get in the vehicle," came the demon's order, and Inuyasha quickly obeyed, as did the reanimated driver. Once everyone was seated, Sesshoumaru directed the driver, "home... NOW!"

And the car peeled out of the parking area onto the highway.

Inuyasha sat straight in his seat, his hat tilted back, as he stared wordlessly, eyes wide at the Demon Lord. Yet another bazaar string of thoughts to ad to his list, since he was unable to do much more than react automatically to his environment, as exhausted as he was.

Sesshoumaru reached to the side, opened a small box and pulled out two cold bottles of water, silently handing one of them to the hanyou. He looked at the bottle, considering it before turning it around in his hand, then gripped it with his lower three fingers, he twisted off the top with his thumb and index finger, the cap falling to his lap. Taking a deep pull of the refreshing drink, he then stared back at his brother.

Inuyasha was familiar with these bottles, not unlike the ones that Kagome had brought back with her to carry water for their group. The cap was tighter than he remembered, and he pulled at it with clawed fingers, finally breaking the seal to take a drink. He then returned his gaze to the demon, and they sat in silence for a time. The events of the last 24 hours swirled like a strange mosaic in his mind, landing on the scene of the dead driver, and the demon's use of Tenssaiga to bring him back.

"I see that you have found a good use for your 'useless' sword," he tensed slightly unsure what response would come from his observation. Tetsusaiga was still on his side, and he preferred it that way for the time being. Sesshoumaru was proving to be even more unpredictable than he had first thought, regardless of the kind words. He was still Youkai, and the culture of the taiyoukai was still a mystery to the hanyou.

"This Sesshoumaru holds no anger toward you, little brother. You can relax."

"Right," was Inuyasha's only response. Their eyes still locked, he took another drink from the bottle.

"The means with which I discipline my staff are of no concern to you. You are not a member of my staff. You are a member of my family... my pack," and his eyes softened. "You are my brother."

"Right," Inuyasha's response still held his disbelief, and this pained Sesshoumaru, though he did not exhibit it.

"You will have to adjust to the differences, Inuyasha. You are now an equal to me, within the eyes of those you will deal with the most. My staff will refer to you as their lord, just as they do this Sesshoumaru. Any need you have will be met with the utmost speed. There will be teachers who will enlighten you to the more modern terminology, show you how to use the conveniences of this time. This car... will be at your disposal when you are ready to venture out." Sesshoumaru stopped, watching the reaction of his brother.

"You know, Jackass..." Inuyasha sat back a bit in the seat, "I agreed for you to come with me..."

He looked at the bottle in his hands, then around the vehicles interior before gazing out the window at the passing forestland. "I didn't agree to move in with you." And he looked pointedly at the demon across from him. "I'm not so sure that's ... such a good idea. I don't know who the fuck you are, but you aren't the Sesshoumaru I know."

"My home..." the demon attempted to explain, "is an extension of the holdings of the Great InuTaisho, and consequently belongs to his heirs. You are one of said heirs, Inuyasha... whether you like it or not."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes rebelliously, then finished his water.

"Now you are just being foolish," came the demon's response. "How do you plan to do this, then?" Inuyasha folded his arms, a scowl taking hold on his features. "You are running on nothing but instinct now, desiring to do nothing but sniff out your mate... and claim her again. When in all reality, she will have not _one_ clue as to _who_ this Wildman is that is _stalking_ her." He stopped to let the truth sink into the stubborn hanyou's brain.

"Kagome would never fear me, not ever..." He muttered stubbornly, he assurance faltering.

"You don't _know_ that... you know nothing about her now... not even her name," Sesshoumaru countered. "And..." this pulled Inuyasha's gaze back to him, "I need you. The situation with Koga will not get any better, and you knew him well. I need your counsel, and your strength to subdue the bastard and clean up his mess."

"That's what this is all about, isn't it Jackass?" Inuyasha unfolded his arms, and leaned forward. "You want _my _help... not really the other way around."

"_That_ is a falsehood that we need to clear up, _right now!_" his voice raised, Sesshoumaru glared back at his younger brother. The raise in volume took Inuyasha back, still unaccustomed to seeing any emotion from the demon. "Think back, halfbreed... to our conversations over the last day."

"It's only been one day..." whispered the hanyou as he sat back again, feeling the exhaustion. "Feels more like a fuckin' month... OK, so you feel guilty, and you want to _try t_o make it right... and at the same time you want the wolf on a skewer."

"That is a very concise analysis, though not entirely accurate," the elder demon leaned forward, to reach across and lay his clawed hand on that of his brother's. "Let me do this thing, Inuyasha... if for nothing else, to appease an old youkai's conscience."

"You aren't old," Inuyasha sneered, pulling his hand away. Then he took a moment to look his elder brother over more closely. He hadn't really thought about it but, the jackass did show some signs of age. He wasn't a kid anymore, though he couldn't ever remember him being a kid... But what had been a brief crossing through the well for him had added 5 centuries to his sibling. 5 centuries that he knew nothing about, which had molded the demon, matured him... he seemed to care a lot more now about others...

"Feh... Alright, I will stay at your place," he announced, then pulled his hat over his eyes, and slid down on the seat. "Wake me up when we get there."

Satisfied, Sesshoumaru sat back as well, and closed his own eyes for a time.

The road curved this way and that, making it impossible for either of them to reach true sleep, and the sounds and smells of the increasing traffic bore down on them gradually, as they moved further away from the forested parks region to more densely populated areas.

Inuyasha opened one eye, and stretched, as he noticed the strange tingling of his rosary begin again. Assuming they were close to reaching their destination, he moved himself more upright on his seat, removing his hat, to watch out the window, when he was suddenly thrown forward onto the demon, who hissed loudly at the intrusion.

The wheels were squealing as the car was pulled to a complete stop, Inuyasha rolled off of his brother's lap, staring out the back window.

"What the fuck?" his only comment as Sesshoumaru pressed the button to lower the screen between them and the driver's area.

"Forgive me Lord Sesshoumaru," panted the driver, "it was an oncoming car, my Lord... Please don't be angry! There was no collision, my Lord, please don't be angry..."

"Silence."

"Yes my Lord."

Sesshoumaru leaned toward the easterly window, and peered out at the other vehicle that was precariously stopped at an angle on the highway. There was something about the passengers... and he closed his eyes, then opened them wide in surprise. This was a rarity.

"Go check on them," commanded the demon.

"Of course my Lord," and the driver quickly exited to run across the highway.

"What is it?" inquired Inuyasha, as he pushed himself across to his own seat, peering out the window, adjusting his hat on his head. He fingered the rosary, which was curiously becoming more evident on his neck. It seemed to actually be growing warm to the touch.

"In that car..." Sesshoumaru hesitated, "there is a person with great power."

"I don't sense any other youki..." and Inuyasha looked again, "just you guys."

"Not Youkai... this is a human power... like that of a miko," Sesshoumaru's hand came up to his chin as he watched the driver speaking with a man.

"Put the window down, just a little, I want to hear what is said," and he nodded to a button on the door, which Inuyasha pressed to lower the window and they both slid a little closer to hear.

"Shit, you weren't kidding," whispered Inuyasha at hearing the driver refer to them as his Lords. At this Sesshoumaru simply raised a brow. He desperately wanted to know who that was in that car.

"He's an idiot," he cast to the side, "No human uses that term, not around here. But you do understand some of what is being said?"

"Some of it, I just wish they weren't talking so fast," the hanyou muttered

"It will get easier for you, you need more exposure to it," and they both watched the driver run back to the car.

"The girl that was driving is ill, My Lord," he panted, "and that is why she swerved. I could feel her, she is very strong, Sir. The young man..." the other car peeled away and down the road, "he said he was taking over the driving and that there was help for her at their destination."

"Very well. Did you get a name, by chance?" Sesshoumaru asked hopefully.

"No Sir, I did not know that you wished for me to do so..." whined the driver.

"Let us proceed... NOW" and the driver jumped, and hurriedly got behind the wheel, pulling out into the lane and resuming his elevated speed.

"Don't you want to follow them?" Inuyasha had twisted around to watch out the back window, fingering his rosary.

"No," the demon responded, "another day." Seeing the disappointment in Inuyasha's eyes, he added, "The chances of that being the one you seek are very slim, if any at all. Though I must admit, that one was stronger than this Sesshoumaru has felt in centuries. I can investigate further after resting, the license on that car should shed some light."

"License?" questioned the hanyou as he turned back around in his seat.

"Yes, it's a tag of identification, all vehicles have them," Sesshoumaru smiled slightly. "I have committed that one to memory."

"Hn," Inuyasha nodded.

"My Lords, we will be arriving in approximately half an hour," announced the driver through the open screen. This prompted Sesshoumaru to press the button, to raise the screen without comment.

"You will like our home, halfbreed. It is just north of the city, high on a hill. The cliffs allow for an unfettered view." He watched the hanyou, who seemed to be lost in thought. "Did you hear me?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah... sure... whatever." And he continued to finger his rosary.


	13. Chapter Twelve

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Twelve

Michael peeled into the driveway, honking the horn repeatedly, to pull attention to their arrival that much faster. Kagome had him scared, and he was not afraid to admit it. He saw a small group appear on the porch of the main house, as he slammed on the brakes. Jumping out of the car he began shouting.

"Ouna-sama! Kagome... Something's wrong!" He ran around to the passenger side door, opening it as her mother rushed worriedly down the steps, followed by her gardener and handyman.

"What happened Michael?" she began questioning before she reached the car. She could see Kagome curled into as close to a ball as one could get while sitting in a bucket seat. Taki and Bo at her heels, she motioned for Bo, the strongest of the pair, to pick Kagome up. "Into the massage room, hurry..." she ordered. "Tell me on the way in," she said to Michael taking his arm.

"She's in pain, that's all I know..." he reported as they rushed into the house, "She nearly ran us off the road, and she said it was Demons that that were causing it!"

"You encountered Youkai? Where?" she demanded.

"Back on the highway, there was a limousine, we barely missed it when she lost control of the wheel," Michael looked at Ouna frantically. "What is causing her so much pain?"

They entered a room that Ouna Higurashi devoted to her massage therapy clientèle, and she rushed to the table where Bo had laid Kagome carefully down, shooing both he and Taki out the door. Michael grabbed a small pillow from an over sized chair in the corner of the room, and brought it to Ouna who then placed it under Kagome's head, gently kissing her forehead as she moaned.

"Momma... make it stop, please?" she pleaded. She turned on her side and curled into a fetal position.

"This is more than Youkai, Michael... go into the kitchen, make yourself something to eat... I need to examine her," Ouna ordered. At his hesitation, she made a sweeping away motion, "Go! I will be there shortly..." and he acquiesced, reluctantly.

Returning to her daughter, she placed a palm on her forehead checking for fever.

"You didn't tell me it would hurt this much, Momma," Kagome panted slightly.

"It shouldn't, something else is going on, little one... roll over... on your back," urged her mother, in full healer mode. Kagome obeyed, wincing with the pain on her left side. It was much more distinct now, more specific in location. "Describe the pain, what does it feel like... really think now..." urged her mother. She thought back over the last two days.

"It burns and sometimes it just pulls at me, you know? And other times it just feels like a knot is there," she described.

"I want you to show me exactly where it hurts, little one," and Ouna watched, fearing it was appendicitis. She breathed a sigh of relief when Kagome put a cupped hand over an area of her lower left abdomen. "When was your last moon?" she asked. Kagome looked up at her incredulously.

"My period, Momma..." she corrected, rolling her eyes. "I had my period last week." Her mother could be so silly with her archaic terms for things, sometimes.

"Ok, good... now I am going to have a look-see. Unzip those britches... that's it...Try not to move, I will try not to make it hurt any more..." and she closed her eyes, calling on her innate energies, rubbing her hands together to warm them. Placing three fingers onto the area that she had been directed to, she gently massaged it, going deeper very slowly, feeling temperature changes and envisioning in her minds eye the body's structure in that region.

Kagome gasped, as she felt her mother's fingers reach a knot deep under her skin. It was not painful, as she felt it seem to move around at the touch, which was uncomfortable, though not painful, really. The fact that it was there at all was the frightening part. It didn't belong there. She had never noticed it before, and thoughts of cancer entered her mind. She tilted up her head to look at her mother's hands prodding her abdomen, to see a familiar light pink aura emanating from them.

"Momma... what do you think it is?"

Ouna Higurashi had been trained in both ancient and modern techniques, and had earned a reputation for being a good diagnostician. She had kept her practice to alternative therapies and stress reduction techniques, because to further her education to become a licensed physician would have taken too much time away from her daughter. Still, she was very adept at preliminary diagnosis, always cautious to refer her clients to a doctor for more in depth testing. This was going to be one of those cases.

"It's moving freely... feel that?" And she again pressed lightly. Kagome's quick intake of breath told her that she had felt it, as she waggled her fingers. "I can practically spin it around... It's not a tumor, and it's not an ovary... your appendix is on the other side... So" and she pulled her hand away, to look into the wide eyes of her daughter. "Your guess is as good as mine, little one." She motioned for Kagome to redo her pants. "Does it still hurt as badly?"

Kagome finished buttoning, then took a deep breath and started to sit up. Wincing she pushed herself all the way up to a sitting position with her feet dangling off of the table.

"Weird, it's just tender now... not nearly as bad." She tugged at the band of her jeans. "These aren't helping, I brought a skirt... I think I will put that on instead."

"Good thinking... meanwhile I am going to call Feldman and see if we can get a scan done today. From there we can decide what to do," and her mother raised an eyebrow at her. "Whatever it is, it will most likely have to come out," and she frowned.

"Kami, momma! I don't have time to mess around with some operation!" Kagome gasped. She had never had any serious injury, no medical procedure more serious than splinter removal , she didn't like the idea of someone cutting her. Even if it _was _for her own good.

"Go change, I will tell Michael that you are OK, and call the good doctor," she smiled. "It's going to be OK, Kagome. You are strong like your namesake, everything is going to be fine." She left the room to go seek Michael and get him calmed down, she never realized how excitable he was.

He was right where she had directed him, in the kitchen leaning back against the counter with a bottle of herbal tea in one hand and a sandwich in the other. He didn't appear to be as overwrought as she had expected. Inwardly she sighed in relief as she entered the kitchen.

"Higurashi-Sama," he greeted her, mouth full, bending slightly at the waist.

"Good grief," Ouna rolled her eyes at the formality with a mouthful of food. "She's fine, I'm calling Feldman for a consultation."

"Wait..." Michael nearly choked on his food. "Isn't he the oncologist?"

"Relax, Mikey-chan," she put her hand on his shoulder and led him to a seat at the kitchen table."You should sit when you eat... I'm just wanting him to confirm what I suspect is all."

"You suspect Kagome has_ cancer_?" Ouna began to rethink her assumption about him not being too excitable.

"No...no, no, no. It's something else. He has access to the equipment I need... for a more accurate diagnosis," she smiled, though there was still a hint of worry on her face. "She's changing to something more comfortable, I'll be right back." And she left the room, as Michael set down the sandwich, not really feeling hungry anymore.

He thought over the events of the morning. How cranky Kagome had been, and how he had teased her about her sexy dream, now he wished he could take it back. Perhaps he should introduce her to that buddy of his from the engineering department at Berkley. The guy was from a good family, and close to Kagome's age. It would do her good to have someone, to make their team a foursome. Granted, Houjo was a little stiff at times, but Michael was certain that he could get him to loosen up with a little effort. Anything to make Kagome happy. She was the sweetest girl he had ever known, and instead of shunning him for his wicked tendencies, she had shown acceptance, laughing off all of his advances without actually rejecting him. That took talent, and an amazing amount of class.

It was Kagome that had introduced him to Sally, and oh, what a gift that had been. His beautiful Selene Rodriguez, elder sister to a former student of Kagome's class, who had needed counseling due to a traumatic experience.

The two women had quickly become the best of friends, and one day Kagome had invited Michael along, for an excursion to Pier 49. He remembered the day fondly, touching his cheek where the young peace officer had slapped him several times. A year later he had proposed to her and miraculously, she had accepted, making him the happiest man on the planet. If only he could help Kagome find that kind of happiness...

"Mikey," Ouna called, interrupting his reverie, as she walked into the room. "Can you drive us to the hospital?"

"Hospital?" He jumped, bumping the table, knocking over the bottle of herbal tea, which he recovered so quickly only a small drop was spilled.

"Nice catch," she complemented him, with a hint of wonder in her voice. "The imaging equipment we need is there, Feldman has called in an order for Kagome, but we have to go right now." and she nodded toward the door as Kagome came into the room in a gauzy calf length skirt.

Michael smiled at her, and resisted saying anything suggestive, though it was difficult for him. The skirt was very thin, and he could see the outline of her legs through it, which he admired for just a fraction of a second longer than he should have.

"NOT a word, Mikey-kun," warned Kagome, as a blush brushed high on her cheeks. She looked at her mother and smiled sweetly as she took her arm, giving the lecherous psychologist a warning glare.

He raised his hands defensively. "My dear Kagome, did I say anything?"

The MRI took about 45 minutes, and Kagome tried to sleep through most of it, which proved difficult with the whirring and knocking of the device as it scanned her body. The good part was the chills had finally stopped completely, and the looser clothing had remedied the worst part of the pain. Now she was just feeling warn out, truly feeling her lack of good sleep the night before.

The three of them waited afterward in the hospital cafeteria, sipping on bad tea while the good doctor evaluated the findings as a favor to Ouna, who had been instrumental in some of his most successful cases.

"Well, I for one am glad we came when we did, Kagome-chan. The timing was just right. It would have been horrible if you had been alone when all this happened." Michael reached for the small pitcher of hot water, and added another tea bag to it, hoping that would improve the flavor.

"We still have time, and neither of you have school this next week... am I right?" Ouna asked, glancing at Michael, who nodded, as he poured more into his cup.

"I was supposed to put in some time at the crisis center, but that's not imperative," he responded.

"Well, good then! It's settled. You will both stay beyond the weekend. Perhaps Selene could drive up later?" she inquired.

"I'll call her in a bit, and see... with the promotion it's a little harder for her to get away. There's been a lot more activity for her department recently."

"You must be so proud of her, Mikey."

He nodded, beaming.

"Kagome..." he paused, formulating his approach to this delicate topic. "I have a friend, that I would really like for you to meet sometime..."

"Oh! No you don't!" She waved her hand, warding off the coming proposition, "No matchmaking, Mikey-kun." She shook her head vehemently, as her mother watched on with amusement.

"But Kagome... He's a very nice guy! An engineer..." then turning to her mother for help, "He's completing his masters at Berkley, and comes from a great family who also have roots in the Tokyo area..."

"You're barking up the wrong tree, Mikey." She countered him, "If Kagome doesn't want to meet him, then there isn't anything that I can do." And she raised her hands up.

"Someday, my prince will come... and he _won't _be an engineer!" announced Kagome.

"Maybe I shouldn't have let her see all those old Disney films when she was little," Ouna commented winking at Michael, then glancing across the table at her daughter who sat with arms folded in stubborn refusal. "There aren't too many princes left out there, little one..."

"Sally thinks she's waiting for the Dog-Boy to show up," Michael laughed as Kagome glared at him menacingly.

"Now THAT would be something... The way the legend goes..." Ouna looked up from the group as she heard her name.

"Ouna! It's good to see you!" Dr. Feldman approached the table where the three sat, weaving around the other deserted tables. "Kagome! How is school?"

"Ah, there you are Horace," and Ouna rose up to hug the doctor, which Michael found fascinating, for some reason.

"We need to talk..." he whispered in her ear. "_Now_." And he pulled her by the hand away from the others, "excuse us a moment, we will be right back." Then as an afterthought as they were nearly out of the room, "That tea is terrible, you kids find something else, and put it on my tab."

"Tab?" echoed Michael.

"That was weird," observed Kagome.

"Have they got a thing... you know..." suggested Michael.

"I don't think so... Momma never said anything," she looked thoughtful.

"Your mother is a beautiful woman, Kagome... It wouldn't be surprising for her to be involved with someone." Michael rose to go see what other choices they had, beyond the bad tea.

"But she's my _mom_! I never really thought of her as having a... love life. She never seemed to care much about men, other than as clients at the retreat." She sat back in her chair, pondering as Michael went the counter.

"Hey, they have some bottled herb teas!" He shouted. "Want one?"

"Yeah, OK... sure..." and she wondered how long they would have to wait, and why.

"Ouna, you have to see this, I have seen some pretty strange stuff in my day, but this takes the cake..." the doctor was pulling her quickly through the hallways of the small hospital, toward an image viewing room. " It's not an immediate danger, at least it doesn't seem to be, but I think we should take care of it right away. There is a strange _iridescent _quality to it."

"Slow down Horace! Wait!" She stopped just short of the doorway to his destination. "What are you saying?"

"Just come in here..." and he pulled her through the doorway into the room, where a series of films were hanging on screens. There were 10 in all, and he pointed to the first on the left side. "Look, here... and here..." pointing to a second one.

Ouna drew close to inspect the images. They showed at varying degrees a spherical object, positioned exactly between the skin and muscle, within the fatty tissue.

"Well no wonder she hurt so badly... she said it burned, look at the tissue damage here," and she pointed out bruising on the muscle, and separation of the fatty tissue. "When is the soonest that you could operate? She has vacation right now..."

"Then let's do it, no time like the present," he agreed. "I have the afternoon free, we could do it today, if she's agreeable."

"I will go talk to her, do you have an anesthesiologist on duty?" Ouna thought for a moment, "It's too deep for a local, don't you think?

"Depends on the patient, you know your daughter and how she responds to trauma," he responded. "This is not going to be that invasive, but some people don't handle it well."

"Give me a few minutes to talk to her," she nodded, as he pulled down the films, and headed out the door back to the cafeteria.

Ouna returned to the cafeteria to find Michael and Kagome looking very bored, still at the table, but with a couple of bottled teas instead of the bagged variety, and several origami swans and frogs, folded from napkins. This made her smile, as she joined them.

"I have good news," she reported. This got their full attention as they both sat forward. "It is not a tumor, and it is easily removed. Horace says we can do it right now, if you are agreeable to it, little one."

"An... operation?" a hint of panic crossed Kagome's features.

"Yes, but one that can be done outpatient, so you come home with me right afterwards. There are a couple of options, actually. You can go to sleep, and when you wake up it will be gone. Or you can stay awake, but the feeling from your waste down will be gone for a time. That's the kind of anesthesia that is used for C-sections." Ouna watched her daughter's reaction. "Either way you will heal quickly, because... and this is the best part... it's just below the skin, so no muscle tissue will be involved."

"Momma..." Kagome's eyes were wide, "What if I don't like either one of those options?"

"Certainly you don't want to just leave things as they are?" asked her mother.

"If it is so close to the skin, why can't I just get a local? Just numb the skin..."she considered the options. "I really don't want to be drugged up, Momma. And I hate the idea of losing the feeling in my legs."

Ouna smiled inwardly. _That's the Kagome I know. Tough it out._

"If that is what you really want to do, I am sure Horace will agree to it. We need to go to admissions and sign some forms." Kagome nodded and they rose to go.

"Hey, what about me?" Asked Michael.

"Well, you can wait here and make us some more swans, or you can wait with me... " Ouna grinned at him and then she winked, as he opted for the latter.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Thirteen

The driveway seemed to go on for miles, winding up the hillside just west of the Goldengate Bridge. That had been one of the few points of interest the jackass had pointed out that he could actually see in the dark, the night before as they were driving through the city on their way to find Koga. That and a configuration of lights that were up this very hill. He called it Point Diablo... The Devils Point. This amused Inuyasha. He flexed his injured arm, turning it over to inspect the damage. Sesshoumaru was right, he really should have a healer look it, it was starting to smell funny.

Finally the car approached a set of gates that appeared to be iron, with a small building attached. A man in the building came out to the car, and spoke to the driver, then went back into the building and the gates opened. This fascinated Inuyasha. He looked at the demon sitting across from him, noting that he looked about as tired the hanyou felt. The car pulled around a wide circular driveway, and stopped. The driver exited, and then opened both of the doors for them.

"Welcome home, Inuyasha," announced his brother, as he limped up a set of stairs, that ran half the length of the building, centered and leading to an enormous doorway.

"This place is_ huge_!" Observed the hanyou, slack jawed.. A rush of activity upon the two entering the doors... gasps and salutations... someone took his bag, and he tried to grab it back... his hat was removed for him, again he tried to get it back... it was sensory overload, at it's best.

"Halfbreed..." called his brother, to a collective gasp of disapproval from the staff nearby, which was quashed with a glare from the demon lord. "This way." Inuyasha had a dazed look about him. He signaled to one of the servants, motioning to his brother.

A small human hand touched Inuyasha on his arm, and he looked down to see the gentle smile of a woman in her middle years. "Lord Inuyasha, please come this way... you must see the healer now," and he followed her in a stunned silence, to join Sesshoumaru.

The healer was a great bear-youkai, with an amazingly gentle touch. Sesshoumaru's leg was tended to first, and the healer, after cleaning it, instructed him to go bathe, and then it would be wrapped properly. _Someone actually ordered the jackass to do something, and he does it_, Inuyasha mused. Then it was his turn, and the bear frowned while inspecting his arm. He didn't like that frown. It meant that something was really bad, if healer frowned like that.

"Disease is not uncommon in the wild," he was saying something, and Inuyasha knew it should make sense to him, but it didn't. The one that bit him had a disease? Was that it? He cast about the room confused, the jackass was gone. Where did he go? He looked up at the bear vacantly just before he swooned and everything blurred and then went black.

And time passed, and the world was a dark place.

_The bees kept stinging him. They had to be Naraku's pets, stinging then gone before he could react. And it was cold, so very cold... where was Kagome? He had to find her... had she gone back through the well? Had he angered her again? No... wait... Naraku had Kagome... that bastard would pay, how dare he steal away his mate. Miroku, no! The tear in his hand... he watched him pull the protective rosary away with a sadness in his eyes, to pull the insects off of Songo... then the explosion. And Miroku was no more... No, Songo... Don't jump! The broken slayer at the foot of the cliff... Damn the Jewel... Damn it to the infinity of all the hells! Must find Kagome... must protect Kagome... where has she gone? Running... running through the trees... wolves... the wolves had Kagome... _

"_YOU CAN'T HAVE HER, SHE IS MINE!"_

Sesshoumaru paced in the hallway, waiting for the healer to come out of the room. For three days now he had waited listening to the frantic sounds of his brother fighting off the poisons in his blood. He would wait no more. Pushing his way through the door and into the room, he found the hanyou surrounded by his people, faces etched with concern.

"My Lord, you should not be here. Let us handle him. He is delirious, he thinks he's in Feudal Japan," the great bear was beside himself.

"This Sesshoumaru will not stand idly by while his brother goes through this torment! Is there nothing more you can do?" he went up to the bedside, where three strong young men were holding his brother down as he writhed on the bed.

"We have given him as much of the antivenin as we can, any more could kill him..." at this Sesshoumaru growled at the healer. Seating himself on the edge of the bed, he motioned to the men holding Inuyasha, and they adjusted giving him room to reach up and run his hand along the hanyou's face and shoulder. He smoothed his hair, and freshened the cloth on his brow. The reaction was immediate, and he calmed.

"Get out," he quietly ordered the four of them. The healer was reluctant to go, and hesitated by the door.

"My Lord," he started.

"I know," he answered without hearing the rest. "I didn't wait all this time, and bring him this far to have_ fucking wolf-bite_ kill him," and the great Demon Lord's eyes brimmed with tears, though his face appeared unmoved. "Now just GO!" And he heard the door shut quietly, before he broke down completely.

He paid no heed to the time that passed as he stayed by the hanyou's side. Nothing mattered except Inuyasha right now. He laid a cool damp towel on his brothers brow. The fever was not so high today. His mind flashed on Rin, and how he had stayed by her side when she suffered from the human childhood illnesses.

He felt shame, that he didn't even _know_ if Inuyasha had experienced any of those illnesses. He had kept Tenssaiga by his side for days now, just in case. Alternately his younger brother's breathing was increasingly rapid, and then almost not there, almost as if he were holding his breath. At those times, Sesshoumaru would run his claws gently over Inuyasha's cheek, and the breath would return, first a deep sighing one, then normal for a while.

Then, late in the afternoon of the fourth day, the demon lord was sitting back in a chair by the bed resting his eyes, when Inuyasha began thrashing wildly, muttering the little miko's name, and suddenly shouting in a great roar, "YOU CAN'T HAVE HER, SHE'S MINE!"

And then he went still.

The door flew open, as the healer came running into the room along with a handful of attendants. There was a rush of activity, and Sesshoumaru stepped back a pace.

"My Lord, did you speak with him? Was he speaking to you?" Came a concerned inquiry.

"No... it was another dream," he replied.

The Great Bear-Youkai leaned over the hanyou, and then rose to look at his Lord. His face was beaming as he said, "the fever has finally broken... My Lord, he is out-of-the-woods, so to speak."

"Then leave us, you have done well," and again his eyes became moist. "Have some food sent, when he wakes he will be hungry."

"Of course My Lord," and the healer bowed, then herded his attendants out of the room.

Sesshoumaru sat on the edge of the bed, watching his brother's rapid eye movement for a few moments, then reached up with his clawed hand to brush the errant tresses from his face. A tear slid down his cheek, and all he could feel was gratitude. He had no deity other than himself to pay this thanks to, so he settled on the fates.

"Oi jackass," the words were weak, and low...nearly inaudible. "Who died? You look like you are on your way to a burial..."

"Not today, little brother..." and he laughed and wiped the tear from his cheek. "You gave us all a scare."

"That's a new one... me scare _you," _he tried to raise himself, but was unsuccessful, "uhng."

"Food is on the way, you need to eat."

"I'm really getting sick and tired of this blacking out shit," he looked around the room, as Sesshoumaru reached to help him sit up, and as Inuyasha hung onto his neck for balance, he adjusted the pillows so that his brother could sit up on the bed. "How long was I out?"

"Four days."

"Did I turn? Kami, I didn't hurt anyone did I?"

"No... and no."

"You were really worried about me..." the statement contained a hint of disbelief.

"Yes," and another tear made it's way past the demon's stoic eyes.

"Oi, jackass... your face is wet," and Inuyasha reached over to hand him a cloth from the stack by the bed. "Maybe you should see the healer about that, it's gotta be a symptom of something..."

"Don't concern yourself with the emotional state of this Sesshoumaru, halfbreed," and he wiped at his eyes, just as a soft knock came from the door, and a staff member pushed in a cart full of assorted edibles.

"My Lords, if I may recommend the soup this evening. I have heard it is just what the doctor ordered," and he smiled with a bow before leaving.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

A/N: I don't own them, but I love them. I get no recompense for my imaginings, beyond the fun of playing with them. Please do Review, I would like to know if anyone else is enjoying this besides me!

ALSO: I am no artist, but oh I wish I could see some fan art of some of the earlier scenes... any takers?

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Fourteen

Michael and Ouna sat in a small waiting area that was nothing more than a group of bench-chairs placed in a wide hallway. Michael picked at the lint on the sleeve of his turtleneck, occasionally glancing up and down the hallway. Ouna sat serenely two seats away with her purse and sweater on the chair between them, as she watched the young counselor fidget. Having all faith in her old friend, she knew her daughter was in good hands. She sat debating on just what she should tell this young man, about what she suspected.

"This is just so strange..." Michael broke the silence.

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Kagome was just fine yesterday, everything was normal..." he attempted to explain. "She said that she had never noticed anything amiss, not until today. And it came with all those strange symptoms." He looked to Ouna, who though was attentive to what he was saying, still seemed to be in thought.

"Sometimes it's like that," she responded. "One day, a person wakes up to find a lump under their arm, or on their neck. We don't listen to our bodies enough these days... everyone is always in such a hurry to go here... do that... and it sneaks up on us."

"Hm... true," and he stretched his arms up, relieving some of the tension. "What about those demons though. Ouna-sama, that encounter really frightened Kagome. She told me about last night, putting sutra on her door and windows, then that limousine." He shook his head looking back in his mind. "That limo just gave me the creeps, but to suggest that there were... demons..."and he looked at the woman, who was nodding.

"There is much that you don't know, Michael. Much that we all don't know. However, if what I suspect is true, there could be an explanation for at least some of it," and she looked at him, considering.

"What is it that you aren't telling me, Ouna?" He demanded, sitting forward in his seat with his arms on his knees, hands clasped.

"Kagome has been fascinated with the stories of the adventures of the Miko and the Hanyou all of her life. To her it was like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty would be for most other little girls. But in all the telling, some important points were... omitted." Ouna watched his eyes very closely as she continued. "For instance... you know the basic story, right?" And he nodded. "Where did that Sacred Jewel come from to begin with? Do you know?" He shook his head slowly, a look of confusion on his face.

"Has this got something to do with Feudal Era Demons?" he asked as he rubbed his chin.

"Very much so..." and her eyes began to sparkle, as she adjusted her seat to begin a story.

"This is very ancient, mind you..." she prefaced. "There once was very powerful miko, who's calling it was, was to stop the senseless destruction and chaos brought on by the great number of ruthlessly violent youkai of the world. At first she attempted reason, and when that failed, she began a holy war to cease their destruction of mankind." The expression on her face was gravely serious.

"Ouna, the expression on your face suggests that you don't see this as any fairy tale..." he observed.

"Michael, to my family none of these... stories... are fairy tales. Not to the elders generations. The stories have been lightened up for telling to children, but all of it has a basis in... fact."

Michael raised a brow, sitting back in his chair. _There certainly was... something... wrong with that limo. But demons?_

"The priestess fought long and hard for many years, trying to subdue the youkai, then finally one day she found herself cornered, and alone, and surrounded by an evil horde which wanted only her destruction." Being the great story teller, she looked around with a frantic expression, playing out the part. She then put her hands together as in prayer, "She pulled upon all of her powers of purification, and she had great power! But she knew that she alone could not stop them. She called out to her _Kami_ for intercession, and as the power grew in her, she called for the youkai to STOP!" She held out her hands fingers spread. "She released more energy than the world had ever been seen from any one human being. It was her last act in this world." She had become very animated in the telling of the story. At the last words she stilled and drew back to her original serene pose.

"Did it work? Did it stop them?" He was getting into this.

"Indeed she did," and she smiled, "but it was at the cost of her own life."

Michael pondered on this for few moments.

"Ouna, what has this to do with Kagome?"

"Well..." and she paused, considering. She then looked at him with an almost blank expression. Looking away, explained. "The result of Midoriko's sacrifice, was... interesting. It froze the entirety of the battle into stone, all those demons frozen in place, and in the midst of them her own figure like a statue. But... inside... her heart was compressed, and then sealed with a _measure_ of that great energy which she had called upon..." and she turned to him again. "That, dear Michael, was the birth of the Shikon no Tama."

"So it was really the heart of a warrior priestess?" he was fascinated. "So the miko and the dog boy were seeking the pieces of someone's heart..." his analytical mind going into full gear, he could see how this was a parable about love, but not just the love of two people. It was love for all of mankind.

"In a sense, yes... however," she continued, "the Jewel was a power unto itself, and needed protection. Each individual shard contained some of that power. And leads us into the rest of the story."

"Is that where Kagome's namesake comes in?"and he watched her smile.

"You could say that..." and curiously she went quiet.

"What has that got to do with all of ... _this_?" His face sported an incredulous look, as he motioned generally around himself.

"Maybe nothing..." she replied. "Maybe... everything..."

"There's more that you aren't telling me, I can see that," and he knew when he was outclassed. She wasn't going to tell him any more until she was good and ready. So they again sat in silence, waiting, as he began picking the lint on his other sleeve.

It was a windowless room, smelling slightly of antiseptic, and Kagome did not like it... not at all. She had weighed her alternatives, and this was the least of the evils she had to choose from. The doctor was an old family friend, more a colleague of her mother's, and trusted. So what did she have to worry about?

_He's going to cut on me with a KNIFE!_

She started to panic, her eyes darting around, as she tried to think of a way to get around this. But there was no other alternative. There was something stuck in her, how she had not an inkling of an idea. But that... something... had to be removed.

"Well, better now than when we are all in the middle of the production, or interrupting school," she vocalized with a sigh. But there wasn't anyone there to listen to it.

She lay back on the table, feeling self-conscious about not having anything on under the paper sheet spread over her from the waist down. Tentatively, she reached down to touch the lump with her fingers. The feel of the thing gave her the creeps, and not knowing how it got there scared her. She thought of the stories she had heard about alien implants, and shuddered.

Her mother seemed incredibly calm about the whole thing. Like she knew something that no one else did... _maybe she does._ There was so much that her mother had not told her, because she refused to listen when it came down to it. Like demons. She never thought that she would actually encounter _youkai. _ Or feel the need to use those sutras that her mother had made for her. She was going to have to ask her to make more, if for nothing more than the sense of _trying _to protect herself, somehow. How does one _really_ protect themselves against demons?

_This is taking too long, I wish they would hurry the heck up._

Right on cue, the door opened and entered the good Dr. Feldman. He had a number of articles with him, which he set out on a stainless steel tray, on top of a thin sheet of paper. Four of those articles were hypodermic needles, rather large. He glanced up and smiled at Kagome.

"This shouldn't take long. Just lay back, while I examine you." and his fingers were cold, as he touched her abdomen, feeling for the precise location of the... lump. "Ok, Kagome... you are going to feel a little pinch," as he grabbed one of the hypos, which had grown in size to monstrous proportions, at least to Kagome's perception. She gritted her teeth, and a nurse came in the door, with more supplies.

She felt the injection, but only briefly, and a sigh of relief escaped her as she tried to relax on the too hard examination table.

She closed her eyes, and brought up the image of Goshinboku, finding that the tree was not alone in her minds eye, as warm amber eyes seemed to cross fade with it. Breathing deeply, she practiced her tension relief technique deep cleansing breaths. Soon it would be over, and she could just enjoy her stay at the retreat with her mother, perhaps get her to explain more about those demons, and how to avoid them. And what about this doctor? Maybe she would inquire as to her mother's love life... or not. Maybe that was just something that was none of her business.

She felt pressure against her groin, and short tug.

"Forceps please," from the doctor, and she opened her eyes to a nod from the nurse, as she handed them to him. Kagome would not look, she didn't want to see a hole in her middle. "Sponge," from the doctor, and the nurse complied.

"WOW!" the nurse exclaimed.

"Huh?" Kagome looked around with shock and worry as she heard something clink into a small porcelain basin. The nurse was gazing into the basin with wide eyed wonder.

"Ok Kagome, all that's left is the sutures," she heard the doctor say. "Please lay back, hon."

She hadn't realized that she was pulling up, trying to see what it was that had the nurse so mesmerized. She laid back and again brought up her Tree... and those eyes... which seem to have become a permanent fixture in her visualization.

"I'm going to clean this up. This is the prettiest damn tumor I have ever seen!" Exclaimed the nurse.

"After you do, show it to Ouna," he instructed her. "She's got her finger on some interesting theories, she might have an idea as to how it got there."

"Hey... I'm here, you know," Kagome muttered as she felt the alternate push and tug of the needle in her groin.

"Oh sorry, Kagome," apologized the doctor. "We are just so used to people being under at this point, and you had your eyes closed..." he trailed off.

"What was it? What was that lump?" she demanded.

"Well..." and he thought about how to word his description. Looking into the young woman's eyes, he stopped sewing for a moment. "It was like... like an iridescent marble... only shooter sized."

"Huh?" Kagome responded stupidly.

"That's what showed up on the MRI, it's like... it glows..." he turned back to finish his work on her abdomen. "I've never seen anything like it..." wonder in his voice. "The strange thing is your mom didn't seem surprised at seeing it, was just anxious to get it taken care of ASAP." He dabbed at the small incision, and then picked up an over sized band aid, placing it over the sutures. "I think she knows something that she isn't talking about, personally. But that's not surprising. You can sit up now."

Kagome looked down to see the band aid patch on her lower left abdomen, then carefully sat up, not feeling anything at all in that area.

"Oooo, it's still numb," she observed.

"It will be for a while yet, when you get home use this on it twice a day for the next four days or so." He handed her a small tube. "There should be minimal scarring, just take it easy, no tight clothes for a few days, and _no_ exposure to the sun. Not for six months."

Kagome looked at him incredulously. "That's not an area that sees the sun to begin with," she informed him.

"Well, you never know," and he shrugged. "I have seen bathing suits that wouldn't cover that spot. You can get dressed now, I'm sure your mom wants to see that you are still in one piece," and he grinned as he left the room.

"Hn," was her only response.

"Ouna! Take a look at this!" Came the excited voice of a nurse as she approached the waiting area. She stopped and eyed Micheal, unsure as whether to continue, holding something behind her back.

"Oh good grief, Renee," Ouna responded as she rose from her seat. "He's practically family. What have you got there?"

The nurse brought around the specimen jar that she had held away from view, holding it up for them like a hand model, eyes still wide with wonder.

"Have you _ever_ seen anything like this?" She asked in awe.

Ouna's eyes grew wide, and a smile played on her lips as she examined the radiant sphere within the specimen jar. She muttered, "not in _this_ lifetime, I haven't."

"My Gods... This came out of our little Kagome?" Michael was beside himself, as he got up to peer into the jar.

"Michael," Ouna turned to him. "I present to you, the Shikon no Tama."

And his eyes went wide.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

A/N: I do not own Inuyasha and company, but I am grateful to Takahashi-sama for the wonderfully creative storyline, and colorful characters, which I am manipulating for no profit. Just lots and lots of fun! I want to thank those who have reviewed for their kind and gentle comments. I know this is OC in a big way. However I have learned much while working on this project, and "to grow is to live"(and vise versa).

Please, if you haven't reviewed, please do! Over 2000 hits in less than two weeks tells me that more than 4 people are reading this... ;)

Metsuki-baba

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Fifteen

The wind swept back his thick mane, flowing like a low, white flag among the cypress trees, as he sat cross legged on the cliff edge gazing out to the sea. It felt so glorious against his face, after so much time locked away in contained environments. _Had it truly only been a week since he had jumped into the old well by Edo?_ He had finally gotten to have a decent run, though he had grown tired quickly, and that annoyed him. He wasn't accustomed to having to curtail his exercise, but the healer had warned him that it would take a few days to regain his full strength. The disease had run it's course, finally... and now he had to let his body finish mending. His arm had healed while he was unconscious, and for that he was grateful. He raised it, pulling back the sleeve of his haori to gaze on the flawless skin on the inside of his right forearm. The memory of dropping Tetsusaiga caused a shudder to run through him, as he brought his arm down again, folding them within his sleeves as he returned his gaze to the sea.

The jackass had been right, the view from this place was amazing. Depending on where one chose to sit, there were several scenic choices. One could see the bridge and the city from the south, or a stretch of woodlands from the north, and to the southwest was this spot, which had quickly become his favorite. The cypress trees, having been blown by the sea breeze as they grew, were a variety of angular shapes, and the trunks twisted slightly giving them an almost spiritual essence, a mysterious life. In the distance he could hear seals barking, and the low hum of city traffic. Was Kagome really there? Or had he been kidding himself this whole time?

He reached up to finger his rosary, which had not made itself obvious since he had finally come to from the fever. Surely if she was not here... then she was somewhere... and he would find her._ Even if it meant falling into the depths of hell, he would find her._

"I had these trees planted here a few years after I acquired the property," the voice was low, though he had no trouble hearing it. He looked again at the cypress trees, well grown and gnarled in the trunks. The jackass had been here a long time.

"I like the wind," he remarked simply, sitting straight and unmoving, his ears turned to the sound of his brother's voice.

"The view is nice, as well," and he heard the rustling of Sesshoumaru's silk and felt the heat of his presence as the demon sat down next to him. "There are things we must speak about, little brother."

"Hn," came his only reply, as he closed his eyes to just _feel the wind._

"Instructors have arrived, they await you to begin your introduction to this era." Sesshoumaru glanced at the hanyou, who had not moved since his arrival. Though he had obviously been deep in thought, the demon could only guess as to subject matter. He had lowered his defensive countenance, truly for the first time as the hanyou had lay near death. It had not been a matter of choice, but an uncontrolled reaction. Now he could only wait for the man to either accept him, or reject him. He truly hoped for the former. Inuyasha remained motionless, only his ears changing direction, following the sounds of the peaceful morning.

"Did you run?" the demon inquired, knowing how important that was to the hanyou.

"Hn," came the reply. "Got tired too damn fast."

"It will improve."

"What are those teachers going to... teach me, today?" He wanted to be prepared. So much had happened too quickly, without his being forewarned. He didn't care for surprises.

"A number of things, beginning with modern English, both spoken and written," again he looked at the hanyou, who turned his head to face him, and their eyes met.

"I would rather practice my forms with Tetsusaiga," and he scowled.

"Perhaps this Sesshoumaru can motivate you," the demon reached into his pocket, and pulled out a slip of paper with writing on it. "This note... has the information I received regarding that car we nearly collided with the other day."

Inuyasha's eyes grew wide as he grabbed for the paper, which the demon held up in the air just out of his grasp, waving it in the breeze. A small glint in his eyes, as he watched his brother's consternation.

"It is written in... English, halfbreed," he rose gracefully, as he held the paper out to his brother.

"It will be the first item for you to translate, I think."

"No shit, jackass!" And Inuyasha grabbed the slip of paper, as he jumped up. "So where are these teachers?"

"Follow me," and Sesshoumaru led him back to the mansion.

"You know what it says, don't you?" The hanyou was accusatory, as he glared at the strange, blocky script, then back at the demon.

"I do," was the only reply.

"Is it good news?" His tone was hopeful.

"It is... information. How good it is, depends on further investigation," and the demon stopped, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder, looking into his eyes. "What you will learn from it, may seem more than it actually is. This Sesshoumaru asks only that you do not take _any _immediate action, once learning the information." His gaze at the hanyou became more intense, as he emphasized the importance of his words. "I mean this, Inuyasha... don't..._ do..._ anything. Not until we have had time to talk about it. _Promise me this_." He waited for what he had said to sink into his brothers mind.

"This is about Kagome, isn't it?" Inuyasha held the paper in both his hands, almost reverently.

"That _was _Kagome _in that car!" _His ears twitched wildly as his eyes widened with shock looking at the lines, which made no sense.

"It was..._ a _Kagome..." came the demon's reluctant response. "The car was a rental..." and at the furrow in his brother's brow, he explained, "It was... borrowed... there were records kept on the one who... borrowed it. That is what you have in your hands." And he motioned him forward, and up the stairs of the mansion. Inuyasha clasped the paper as though it were a lifeline. His first piece of _hard evidence_ in his search for the only person who made his life worth living.

As they entered a study area, the hanyou's eyes grew even wider as he glanced around. There were many rooms in this place that he had not seen. Here, walls were lined with shelves of books, bound in cowhide, he could smell the treated leather which was not all that unpleasant. The high ceilings made the room feel airy, and there was a large fireplace on one of the walls that hadn't been used in a long while, by the scent. A large cherry wood desk set on one side of the room, with strange boxes on it, and a screen that appeared to be like the one on the plane, only much smaller. There were three men and one woman, sitting in wide comfortable chairs, chatting amicably around a low table on the other side. These people were human, and suddenly Inuyasha wondered where his hat was, as he pulled his ears down as flat as he could.

"Sesshoumaru! I didn't hear you come in!" And a tall man rose quickly from his chair to greet them. "How are you?" He shook the demon's hand in greeting.

"I am well, Thomas..." and he returned the handshake then turned to his brother, "I wish for you to meet your student, Inuyasha.," he placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, and... smiled.

"A pleasure, Inuyasha!" And the man grabbed his hand, pumping it enthusiastically. "We have heard so much about you, young man! It seems you gave your brother here quite the scare, disappearing like that!"

"Hn," came the hanyou's only response, as he grabbed his hand back sticking it protectively back in his sleeves.

"Aren't you two the picture! Laura, just look at these costumes! They are so _authentic_!"

The woman, who was wearing a close fitting suit with glasses perched halfway down her nose, had risen and was slowly made her way to the group, eyes wide with fascination at the top of Inuyasha's head. Without a word, she reached up to run a finger through Inuyasha's hair, exposing his ears. She gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth, eyes full of glee.

"Oh HO!" Thomas laughed as he observed her reaction, then motioned to the other two men to join them. "This is Laura," he waved toward the woman, "she is the fashion consultant of our little team... and this is Clint," he put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Clint is our western cultural specialist!" The younger man was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and medium blue shirt with pearl buttons. He nodded to Inuyasha, touching his brow as though dipping a hat. This made him appear subdued in comparison to Thomas' larger-than-life introductions, as he stood leaning with a hand arrogantly on one hip... chewing absently on something as he eyed the hanyou.

"And finally this is our technology expert..." he urged the man closer, "he's a little shy I think, get over here Eddie..." and he went to pulled the man closer by the upper arm. "Eddie is a specialist in a number of different areas, including computing and mobile communications, which is where our focus will be initially." The small tech smiled shyly at the demon and the hanyou.

"It's going to take four people for me to learn what this note says?" Inuyasha questioned, looking to his brother.

"The note is just the beginning, halfbreed," the demon replied, to the too quiet, shocked stares of the assembled team. "Do not worry yourselves, it is a pet name, I assure you..." his attempted explanation was followed by a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"Of _course_! I call my brother _dumbass_ on a regular basis!" Thomas agreed, looking around at the others and nodding his head.

Laura had returned her gaze to the top of Inuyasha's head, then her eyes aglow, raised her hands up with her fingers rubbing together, face eager.

"Do you mind?" she asked him, as he raised a brow at her, hands still inside his haori sleeves.

"Here we go again..." he muttered, though it had been quite a long time since anyone had asked to touch his ears. Sesshoumaru's eyes sparkled with amusement as the hanyou tilted his head forward with a sigh of exasperation, "might as well get this part over with..." and the eager fingers of the fashion expert stroked his ears, as they twitched in annoyance.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed. "they are so soft!" The three men looked on mildly shocked at her, as she withdrew her hands and put them behind her back, blushing.

"Anyone else?" He offered, showing the group the top of his head.

"Um... no thanks... Dude," Clint waved his hands in front of him, passing. The other two men just looked at one another.

"Hn," and Inuyasha brought his head up, looking at each one in the group.

"I will leave you to your lessons, little brother," Sesshoumaru moved to the door, "Go gently on him today, he has been ill..." and he exited.

Inuyasha watched as the demon went through the door, not entirely certain he liked the idea of being alone with this odd assortment of people. He could understand most of their talk, though he wasn't sure about being called "Dude" by the arrogant younger male. He pulled his arms out of his haori, still holding the slip of paper in his left hand.

"So ... Inuyasha! Where would you like to start?" Inquired Thomas, looking eager.

"This," and he held out the slip. "I've _need _to know what this says."

"Excellent! Real world usage! Much better than hypothetical, in _my _book!" And the tutor looked around to the collective nods of his colleagues

Inuyasha wasn't certain what the boisterous man had meant, but at this point the lessons began, as Thomas led him to the desk, and flipped on the screen. It was full of same type of blocky text that was on the note, and the tutors surrounded the desk and began instructing him.

Several hours later, Inuyasha glided gracefully through one move, then another, practicing his technique with his untransformed sword. Sesshoumaru had been right, it was _a Kagome_, alright. Inuyasha's head swam with all the things he had been learning, or trying to learn.

There had been what they called an address... the location to this Kagome's home in the city. They also had said that the name was not a common one. It was the surname that hooked Inuyasha completely. Higurashi. She was related, somehow.

"The car has not been returned yet," Sesshoumaru had found him in the dojo, working out with Tetsusaiga. "So one could safely assume she is not in the city."Sesshoumaru appeared unmoved, an errantly misplaced statue by the door.

"She was sick, that guy said so..." He stopped with a scowl to look toward the demon, "I hope she's alright." A moment passed as the reality seemed to sink in. "I have to go find her,_ right now!_" He sheathed his sword with determination on his features.

"And how do you propose to do that, halfbreed?" The demon inquired, still unmoved.

"We can go to her home... you... can show me how to find it," he proposed.

"The car has not been returned, halfbreed... she, most likely, is not there."

"Even so... it's doing _something_!" his ears twitching wildly with agitation.

"You haven't been... well for that long. It is this Sesshoumaru's belief that you should rest now, rather than running off chasing... sparrows." He was putting his foot down, the hanyou needed to heal completely.

"Kagome isn't a damn sparrow! I should be with her, especially if she is sick," he started pacing, his mind whirling.

"As I feared, you have decided that this person is your miko, simply because she shares the name. You know nothing about her, and she certainly knows nothing about you..."

"You sound more like a parent, than a brother..." Inuyasha scowled. "Or is it more like an _old woman_?" he taunted. "_This Inuyasha_, wants to go into the city," and his eyes narrowed into a challenge. "You can go with me, or fuckin' stay here. I'm _not_ gonna stand around and _do nothing_!"

"First of all, _halfbreed,_" and the demon's eyes widened slightly with surprise before narrowing, "This Sesshoumaru _is old enough _to be your father, and if need be, quite capable of _spanking_ an errant _PUP!"_ His voiced raised as he took a step toward the hanyou in emphasis.

"BUT... you aren't!" Inuyasha rose to the challenge. "You can't tell me where I can and can't go, asshole! You aren't my father... _Kami!_ What am I saying? _I am a grown man!_" And he glanced around the dojo, then looked at the demon with a look of confusion. "I can do what I want..." he muttered, then glaring again he hissed, "Kutabare!"

"Keep it to English, halfbreed. Low class Japanese will get you nowhere in the city," came the demon's response.

Inuyasha glared at his half-brother. "Alright then, Jackass... FUCK YOU!" and he stormed passed the demon out the door, and into the gardens between the dojo and the mansion.

Sesshoumaru's reaction wasn't immediate, as he contemplated on how quickly the hanyou was learning. One afternoon of instruction and he was ready to hunt out locations in the city, and swearing at him in English. Yes, he was coming along quite nicely.

"Inuyasha, wait."

Inuyasha stopped halfway to the mansion, ears twitching irritability. _Now what?_

"If it is so important for you to do this, then I will come with you," he announced as it was not an offer. The man would be lost in the city, and could get himself into trouble too easily. A promise had been made to talk about it, before taking any action, and this his brother had done ._ Why must we always fight?_

But he knew the answer to that question before it had even completely formulated in his mind.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company. I just get a little obsessive from time to time, and have to put it down on paper... this I share with you.

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Sixteen

The drive back to the retreat from the hospital had been a quiet one, each one of the riders caught up in their own thoughts as the sun slowly set behind the hills to the west. Each of them had their sunglasses on which effectively hid their individual contemplations, as it protected their eyes. Kagome had given Ouna the honored 'shotgun' seat, opting to sit in the backseat, as Michael drove. The jewel tucked away in her over sized handbag, Ouna had not yet shown it to Kagome. She had asked Michael to please not say anything about it.

Michael had only stared at Kagome with wide eyed wonder, when she rejoined them after the procedure, which prompted her to blush, and demand to know what his problem was. He had covered by simply saying that she was braver than he, to allow someone to cut her open while she was still awake. At that she had grimaced, just wanting to forget it ever happened. On arrival to the retreat, Kagome excused herself to go take a nap, citing that she was exhausted. Ouna told her she would come and wake her to eat, and then motioned to Michael to join her in the kitchen.

"Why haven't you said anything to her yet?" Michael demanded in a hushed whisper, as they entered the room which was the hub of the house. Conversations over tea, meals, it just seemed natural to congregate there. Ouna removed her sunglasses, and looked the young psychologist over.

"I want her to be rested before I explain this." She looked away as she removed her sweater and placed it on the back of a chair. " Kami, Michael... I am still trying to fully understand the implications myself," then a quick change of subject, "what shall we have for dinner..." as she set her bag on the back of the counter, pausing for a moment in thought.

"Oden?" He asked hopefully.

"Hn," she replied, "not a bad idea, I think I have everything I need." She went to the refrigerator and opened it to peruse the contents. As she pulled a few things out, Michael pulled out a chair to sit and watch, hoping she might share some of her thoughts. "No you don't, mister," she scolded good naturedly. "If you want oden... then you will have to help, come clean these vegetables and cut them up," and as he rose she handed him a large butcher knife.

Kagome closed the door to her childhood bedroom, removing her sunglasses and setting them down on the dresser. Taking in a deep breath , she looked around at all the memories it contained. Her stuffed animals adorned the corner, sitting piled on an overstuffed chair, which made her smile. On one wall were posters of her once favorite musical groups, which brought a hint of nostalgia, as she made her way across the room to the closet. She chose a light weight red yakama, and began changing for her nap. Looking down at the band aid on her abdomen, she reached to touch it lightly. There was a little feeling there, so she decided it was good thing she was changing. It might start hurting while she was sleeping.

As she was hanging up her skirt and blouse, her eyes caught the arrangement of family photographs on the right wall. She moved closer, knowing that some of these she had copies of at her apartment, but some she did not. There was the one of her standing in front of Goshinboku, and one of her Ji-chan in his formal kimono standing by the shrine that had been built for her great grand aunt Kagome. This brought her to a picture of a pretty young girl, perhaps middle school aged, wearing a traditional Japanese school uniform. This is what her namesake had looked like when she was young. So normal. There didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary about the girl, and yet she had become a legend. A snapshot was next to it, framed in an antique frame, of a much older Kagome, in traditional miko garb, standing next to Great Grandfather Souta. There was someone else there, but only a small piece of them was in the picture. All she could see was the arm of a red haori reaching out to Kagome, who's smile was bright, as she appeared to be laughing.

_I think she was a happy woman_, thought Kagome. _Her life had to have been very exciting, she must have been very... brave... to do all those things she did, traveling wild lands, hunting demons, hunting for pieces of the sacred jewel. Though... she did dress kind of funny."_ Her eyes went back and forth between the school photo and the snapshot. She had never really thought about it, but something didn't seem to fit. The school uniform was 20th century, but the miko garb... was from an era much earlier. And she had been told that that particular outfit was what Kagome had worn in her travels... a white haori over red hakama. She would have to ask her mother about it, later.

Pulling down only the bedspread, she slipped into the bed, and felt a wash of exhaustion, as she closed her eyes and brought up her vision of Goshinboku. And again there were the golden eyes, this time burning with an uncanny intensity, as though vigilant in the watch over her. This brought comfort, and she drifted off.

_And she was flying through the air, just above the treetops, wind blowing her hair. Her arms wrapped from the back around the neck of the man who smelled of the forest, as he held her legs close to his sides. Free as the wind itself, they were flying over wild lands, dipping down occasionally for him to push off again from a tree limb, or a high boulder. It felt so safe here, with him... but no... something was wrong... they weren't flying anymore, he was injured. _

_Now she sees the cause of his pain, he growls at her while she moves cloth aside, soft red cloth... and she holds out her hands, invoking a bright pink light, which she holds to the source of his pain, and watches it mend before her very eyes. A golden gaze... gratitude... and then the warm arms surrounding her in an embrace... _

_"we are so lucky to have you," it was Michael... no it just seemed like him... no... it was him and he had a tiny fox sitting on his shoulder... _

_"Kagome, do you have a treat for me?" asks the fox... _

_"You will spoil your appetite," it was being chastised by a woman... was that Sally?... wearing her police uniform, only ... different... the colors were wrong... and Michael's hand was wrapped, was he injured? A kitten mewled beside Sally, and she picked it up to pet it fondly then set it on her shoulder. _

_"We still have light, we should keep going," said the man in red who smelled of the forest, as he pulled his warmth away from her... back in the air... flying... they were all flying, like the wind... _

_"Kagome..." he speaks to her... "Kagome..." _

_"Yes?" she says, "I am here"_

_"Kagome, where are you?" he is worried..._

_"I am here!"_

_"Kagome, I need you!" _

_"I am right here!"she couldn't understand why he couldn't hear her... _

_"Kagome... I have to find you... the wolves... they can't have you!" he sounded desperate..._

_"But I am right here!" _

_"Kagome! Kagome..."_

"Kagome..." the wind was gone... the voice had changed.

"Kagome, it's time to eat... Kagome..." It was her mother. "I think you were having a dream, little one."

"Uhng,"she groaned, and stretched as she opened one eye in the dimly lit room. She looked at her mother, barely coherent. "Mmmm momma," her mouth was dry, and she tried to wet her tongue, "I was flying, momma... and the fox wanted a treat..."

"Michael and I made oden, come and eat..." whispered her mother as she ran her fingers through her bangs then kissed her brow. This took a minute to sink in.

"Michael... _COOKED_?" She was amazed, as she jumped from the bed, to feel the catch of her fresh stitches. "Ugh."

"Well, he helped, that's for certain... and it's quite good! Come, you need to eat," Ouna directed, as she slipped out the door. Kagome turned on the bedside lamp, then quickly grabbed her skirt and blouse from the closet to change.

"I think I might try to make this for Sally, now that I know your secret recipe!" chirped Michael as he filled his bowl for the third time.

"What secret?" asked Kagome, "I didn't know your recipe was secret, momma..."

"Oh not really," Ouna sat back a moment, before rising to start clearing the used dishes. "I suppose you could say it has a secret ingredient. This batch especially..." and she smiled. "Anything made with love is special... am I not right, Michael?"

"Never has there been a truer statement, Ouna-sama," and he took another bite. "Oh, by the way Kagome... I called Sally, and she says that she gets Thursday and Friday off, and will be coming up Wednesday night! Isn't that great?"

"Oh! Then we can play for Momma! Oh Momma," and she turned to where Ouna was at the sink, "you just have to hear it, it's so beautiful!"

"Dreamy, you might say," added Michael, winking at Kagome, who blushed profusely.

"Speaking of dreams, that one you were having when I woke you... sounded interesting, little one," Ouna commented off handedly, hands in the water, but eying her bag still sitting on the back of the counter.

"You had another dream, Kagome?" asked Michael as he rose to take his bowl to Ouna. "Was it anything like the one last night?" He sported a bit of a smirk as he returned to the table.

"You are having vivid dreams, Kagome?" asked her mother before she could respond. Wiping her hands, she took her bag and brought it with her to the table, setting it on the floor beside her.

"Well, yeah... they are pretty vivid." Kagome glanced at her mother, then at Michael, before leaning forward and looking at her hands on the table. "They don't make much sense, Momma, but it's like I am really there, in the dream. Very vivid..."

"You said something about flying, when I woke you..." Ouna prompted.

"Oh flying dreams are very common, and perfectly normal," Michael interjected helpfully.

"Can you be a little more specific, little one? You also mentioned a fox..." prodded her mother.

"He asked for a treat, and Sally told him he would ruin his appetite... and Michael... you told me how lucky you were to have me with you... I mean the group... after I healed the guy in red. Oh Momma! I could heal! I had the glow in my hands just like you get, only really bright!"

"Wait a minute..."Michael interrupted. "The fox ... talked?"

"Ah-huh," Kagome nodded. "He was sitting on your shoulder."

"Huh... talking kitsune..." he mused.

Ouna sat silently, watching her daughter for a moment. She then looked at Michael who had an eager expression on his face. She knew he was anxious to see Kagome's reaction to the contents of the specimen jar, and gave him a hooded look of warning. There was a lot more to this than met the eye, and she didn't care to speculate as to what it all meant.

"Is something wrong Momma?" Kagome had a worried look on her face, as she watched her mother trying to formulate her words.

"I don't know that 'wrong' is the right word... Frankly I am not sure about anything right now."

"They are only dreams, Momma," Kagome's voice softened and she reached to touch her mother's arm. "Nothing to get worried about, surely..." and she looked at Michael for agreement, but she found an expression of speculative concern marring his features. "What is it that you two aren't telling me?"

"Ouna, just show her..." he nodded, face set in an unreadable mask. "What ever it means, we can worry about later, but she needs to know."

"What is it?" Kagome demanded, as she watched her mother reach into her purse.

"We never knew for certain what happened to it, after Kagome passed... the hanyou disappeared I was told... and it was assumed that he used it to become a full youkai. Apparently, that wasn't what happened..." and she placed the jar onto the table.

Kagome gasped, as her eyes fell on the most beautiful object she had ever seen in her life. "What is it, Momma?" she asked in awe. "Where did you get it?"

"Kagome, this is what Horace found today, when he removed that lump," and she pushed the jar toward her daughter. It was going to be a long night, so much to explain. So much to try to understand.

"The way he described it, it was like a marble..." she picked up the jar, and turned it around. The thing pulsed, like it was alive with a soft pink light. The glow lit up the table, like a candle. "This is no marble... Momma..."

"Little one, this is the Sacred Jewel. The Shikon no Tama." She saw the questions forming on her daughter's lips. "No, I don't know how it got there, yes I am _sure_ it is the Jewel... and there is so much more to this that I can only speculate about."

"What is it that you are thinking Ouna?" asked Micheal.

"Momma, Kagome found the Jewel and then accidentally shattered it, right? So they had to find the shards, and that's the legend..."

"The story of the jewel is so much more than just that, little one. The story you know, is only a part of the real story. She was my Aunt Kagome, and though I only met her once, my Ji-chan shared things with me that aren't part of the legend. Things she had told him, in confidence."

"Like what, Momma?" Kagome set the jar down carefully.

"She didn't find the Jewel... it was inside of her," she spoke slowly to allow the meaning of what she was saying to sink in. She saw Kagome's expression change from confusion, to wide eyes, open mouthed speechlessness.

"You didn't tell me that part, Ouna-sama... what does that mean?" with a raised brow, Michael's fascinated gaze was bouncing back and forth between the two women.

"I think it means, that I am Kagome," she said in a hush, jaw still wide.

"Of course you are Kagome! Who else would you be? You two aren't making any sense!" The two women seemed to be communicating without words, and he _so very badly_ wanted to understand.

"Michael, the jewel is bound to the soul of it's protector. My aunt Kagome was not the first, there was another before her. The one who was first entrusted with it. She also was a priestess... a miko, in a small village that eventually became part of Tokyo. When she died, the jewel was thought destroyed since it was cremated with her body. But it appeared again in my Aunt's body, just like... Kagome."

Ouna went still... as she contemplated the cycles of the soul. "That time I met her... she told me she knew me. She said we had once been sisters..." Her focus was in the past, remembering that meeting with the strange, mysterious woman. "I have no idea how she knew that, maybe one of her more advanced powers... She said that we would meet again..." and she brought her attention back to the table. "I was always disappointed that I never got to see her again, she was quite old then."

"So what I am hearing you say, is..." Michael regarded each of the them in turn, "You are Kagome's sister, and Kagome is your aunt..."

"Very good Mikey, you have it in a nutshell," and Ouna beamed.

"I don't think I have anything... I am very confused, actually," and he sat back in his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"So now, little one... tell me more about your dreams..." and she watched her daughter's eyes grow wide once again.

"I could heal, with a touch... and we were flying..." She thought for a moment, "and the guy in the red haori couldn't hear me... even though I was right there."

"Your lover?" asked Michael, leaning forward. "Same guy?"

"Yeah, same guy," she answered absently, gazing at the jewel again.

"You didn't mention a lover... who was it, Kagome?" Ouna waited, glancing at Michael, a realization coming to her.

"Um... I don't know, Momma," sputtered Kagome, blushing brightly as she realized that they were talking about her risque dream. "In the dream last night, he was the only one I could understand. Everyone else was speaking too quickly in Japanese... or something like it..."

"But tonight you understood the other people?"

"Yeah, just fine..." and she thought a moment. "Mikey, let me see your right hand."

"Huh?" he responded dumbly, uncertain how it had come back to him, when he wanted to hear more about that lover.

"Your right hand..." as Kagome took his hand, her look was far away as she remembered the dream, and the wrapping on his palm, "Look at this." She pointed to a darkening of the skin which she had never noticed before in the center of Michael's palm. "How did you get this scar?"

"It's a birthmark, not a scar. It has always been there," came his response.

"I never noticed it before... so why would I dream about it?" she mused.

"Perhaps, little one," speculated Ouna, "because they aren't exactly dreams... perhaps... they are memories..."

"You mean that I knew Michael before? And Sally too?" she gasped.

"I think that is very likely," her mother nodded sagely.

"Then just who is that guy with the gold eyes?" she wondered.

"You must mean Inuyasha," came her mother's reply. "He's the hanyou of your stories."

Kagome gasped, and stared at her mother. Michael's jaw was slack, uncertain if he was dreaming this conversation or if it was really happening. Ouna sat serenely, with a vague smile.

"Well..." and Kagome took in a breath, sitting back in her chair, "That would explain the claws..." and her mother and her best friend just looked at her.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company.

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter Seventeen

The sun streamed into the window of Kagome's room, as she stretched languorously. This was turning out to be a pretty nice vacation after all. The conversation the night of her arrival had gone long into the night, as her mother had revealed one new piece of information after another. How was it that she had not learned these things before now? Why was it that the jewel suddenly turned up _now_? Could it be possible that _she_ really _was_ the heroine in all those stories?

Michael had excused himself late that night, citing that he had to be hallucinating. She giggled remembering how Momma had said that even shrinks were subject to information overload, though she couldn't help noticing how quiet he had been for the most part during the rest of the visit so far. It was a lot to think about, a lot to adjust to, providing it was true. Though knowing wasn't going to change anything really. She still had her classes to teach, he still had his thesis to complete. There was still the performance to plan for the cultural faire. Life wasn't going to change... though, perhaps, their perception of their respective lives might.

She rose, and grabbed her yakama before heading to the bath to pursue her morning routine. It was a little later than she would normally sleep, but that was the fun of a vacation wasn't it? Taki and Bo had been working out some design ideas for the set for the production and she would be meeting with them this afternoon to see what they had come up with, and Sally was due to arrive this evening, which meant that they would be able to rehearse. She couldn't wait for her momma to hear what they had so far. She and Michael had agreed to wait until Sally arrived before playing for her.

"Kagome! Are you up?" Called her mother.

"I'm in the bathroom!"

"Breakfast is getting cold," and she heard her mother's voice close to the door.

"Is Michael up?" she asked around her toothbrush.

"Yes, he's in the kitchen," came the reply. "He says he has something he wants to talk to you about... well, both of us actually."

"Hmm..." she said as she rinsed her mouth. "Wonder if he's decided that we need to be put away?"

At this her mother laughed heartily. "No, no, no, no... I don't think that's it... hurry up!" and she heard her call to Michael as she headed back to the kitchen, "Hey Mikey! Leave some bacon for the rest of us, huh?"

_He must be feeling better_, thought Kagome. His quiet contemplation the last few days had worried her more than she cared to admit._ That really was a lot of information to take in all of a sudden like that. _She quickly ran a brush through her hair, and went to join them.

"Mmmornin' Momma," she kissed her mother's head, before reaching to the cupboard for a cup, "Coffee, smells good."

"You really should have a bite before you drink coffee, little one. You know how it kills your appetite," warned her mother. "So Mikey, what did you want to talk about? You have been too quiet the last couple of days." She turned to the young man inquisitively, watching him as he scarfed the last of his eggs. He hadn't eaten much since the first night, and had worried her. It was good to see his appetite back.

Michael held up a finger as he chewed up the last piece of his bacon, touching a napkin to his lips, and motioning for Kagome to come sit. "This is for both of you," came his preamble, while Kagome took her seat, sipping her coffee.

"Why have you been so quiet, Mikey? At first I thought you were mad about something..." she set her cup down and gave him her full attention.

"First of all, I am not mad," and he smiled genuinely. "I just needed some time to process all of _this_. You seem to just be taking it all in stride, Kagome. Doesn't any of this _bother_ you?"

Kagome thought for a moment, then looked at her mother, who was sitting back in her chair with a serene smile on her face. She had spent the better part of the last three days, instructing Kagome on different ways to sense yokaii energy, and protect oneself from the same.

"Sure... it's a big change. But," and she took a breath, looking squarely into his eyes, "I would rather know, and have a clue about how to protect myself, than know nothing and just be scared all the time." Her brow furrowed, "You _do_ think we are nuts, don't you?"

"That's why I needed to talk to you both this morning," he got up and put his plate in the sink, then grabbed Ouna's as well as he continued, " That first night, my head was swimming. Not just with what has happened, and... the jewel... but also with the ramifications that all of this has on how we see the world... the normal world."

"This _is_ my normal world, Mikey-chan," Ouna interjected. "Always has been, regardless of how the people around me see the things I do."

"I understand Ouna-sama," and he nodded. "Please, I do not wish for you to take offense. However,_ my normal world... _isn't so normal anymore. I spoke with Sally early this morning on the phone. I asked her if she thought it was possible... that we were together before... in another life."

"And what did she say, Mikey?" asked Kagome, a tiny smirk forming as she imagined the blunt response he had probably gotten from her outspoken friend.

"She said she had no doubt about it." Michael's eyes were unfocused for a moment as he remembered the conversation. "Kagome..." and his eyes grew in intensity as he gazed at her, "she's had dreams too, recently. Not unlike your's." And he shook his head quickly. "She said that in her dream last night she watched me die in an explosion. That she woke up crying. She still had sniffles when we talked."

"Dreams are often as not memories," Ouna commented, " this is something that my grandfather told me once long ago. Memories of what has happened, memories of what is to come. In the journey of the soul it is all the same, really."

"Momma, I don't think you are helping here," inserted Kagome, who watched her friend's eyes grow wide at the possibility of an explosion in his future. "Mikey, is she coming? Is Sally driving up tonight?"

"Yes, she is going by your place after work to get her shamisen, then driving straight up. I can't wait to see her," he smiled looking at his hands.

"So Mikey-kun, where did your thoughts take you? Your thoughts about ... all this," Kagome asked using his own generalized term.

"I am thinking about scrapping my thesis. If all of this is true, then everything I have written so far is... bunk," he took a breath, looking at the two women sitting with him. "Do you realize how many people are medicated, or even hospitalized for seeing demons? The statistics show that over the last 40 years, instances of individuals being referred for psychiatric treatment for hallucinations has increased dramatically, I can show you articles on the web... and that brings me to think that much of what I have studied all these years is based on a prejudicial assumption that there are no supernatural occurrences. Its a science, psychology is... the science of the human mind. Science doesn't believe in legends, it doesn't believe in reincarnation, or ghosts, or demons."

"Wait a sec, Mikey... Wait a sec!" Kagome interrupted. "Are saying that you are seriously considering dropping out of Psychology?"

"Let me finish, Kagome... please," and he held out his hand. "Because of the last few days, I realize that I can't continue to pursue that direction... not when..." and he took her hand, and then took her mother's hand, "not when I find myself believing everything you have said."

"Oh Michael!" Ouna gasped. "I am so sorry, I never dreamed this would have that effect on you! You can't just quit, not now! You have worked so hard to get this far..."

Kagome was speechless. She had known Michael since her first day at Berkley. They had become fast friends, once it was clear that her rear end was off limits to the young Psych major. He held a fascination for Japanese history and tradition that was refreshing in a college full of self possessed, materialistic young people. She had watched him struggle over the years, both financially and emotionally, to get to this place... and he was so nearly done.

"There are other things I can do, with the degrees I have... I can teach, for one!" he announced brightly. "I want you to know, Kagome, that I will be here for you."

"What do you mean by that?" she looked up at his intensely sincere gaze. "You have always been there for me, why would that change?"

The look on Michaels face was one of relief.

"I didn't know how to tell you, I was afraid you would think that I was going to back away."

Kagome leaned into the table and took her friend's hand. "Friendship is the most important thing in life. Your choices with your career are your own to make, and I promise you that I will be there for you, too." She turned his hand over, inspecting the birthmark that she had never noticed before. Was it darker? No... just her imagination...

"Looking back on that encounter with that Limo on the way up here," Michael looked at Ouna, "I felt something, remember how I said it gave me the creeps?" and he glanced at Kagome for confirmation. She nodded, returning to just holding his hand on the table. "Ouna, I know you have been instructing Kagome... would you consider instructing me as well?"

Kagome's mother had remained silent as she watched the two make their pledge to one another, and at his request, she sat a moment in consideration. How he fit in, she was unsure. That he did fit in, she was certain. What ever was brewing, her Kagome and this man were going to be intimately involved. Most likely Sally as well, and she frowned for a moment, wishing she knew more.

"On one condition, Michael," she finally responded. "That condition is, that you do _no more_ than take a sabbatical from your thesis work. You must promise that you will not do anything permanent for at least a year."

"I can agree to that, but may I ask why?"

"It is my condition for teaching you what I know, that should be sufficient." She really didn't want him to make a move he would later regret.

Michael nodded, a little surprised by her tone.

From outside, at the front of the house there came a muffled THUMP, and yelp which was followed by a great deal of crashing and banging as Taki and Bo came running into the house.

"Ouna-sama! Ouna-sama! He can't get past the warding!" shouted Taki as he came breathlessly running into the kitchen. "I think he's mad! Quick!"

"Kami! OK I am coming..." as she rose to go see what the commotion was about.

"Animal?" asked Michael, and Kagome shook her head not knowing as they followed her mother to the front porch, the sounds of frantic yelping echoing through the house. Upon reaching the front door, they could see the source of the yelping, as an overly large red fox repeatedly bumped into what appeared to be thin air, as it attempted to approach the house. Ouna had broken into peals of laughter, as the fox continued to literally beat it's head against her warding.

"Momma?" gasped Kagome, this thing was bigger than any fox she had ever seen, and she was getting that feeling again. And here her mother just laughed?

"The wards are working well Kagome, can you see? You will be able to do that... and soon!" and again she laughed heartily as she walked down to the gate, and began dismantling her warding.

"Momma! What are you doing?" Kagome screamed with shock, as she saw the fox gain entry to the front lawn area. It was a demon! "That's Youkai!" she screamed. Michael ran past her, assuming an attack position of some martial art next to Ouna, daring the youkai to move closer.

"Ouna-chan, call off your new watchdog, or I will never get to hug you!" said the fox youkai.

"Oh Michael! It's OK, honey... this is a friend..." and she patted Michaels shoulder as she passed him to go wrap her arms around the fox's neck, who stood up on two legs, and morphed into an attractive man approaching his middle years, with large green eyes, elven ears, and long shockingly red hair. "I didn't think you were coming after all! You are late!" as he returned her hug, smiling broadly.

"My little Ouna... I've missed you... it's been too long," the demon replied.

Michael stood dumbfounded, still maintaining his mock ninja pose, while shock and horror registered on Kagome's face.

"Let go of my mother!" She demanded, feeling a pulse throughout her body. _This is new_, she thought, then stormed down the stairs to confront the beast. Holding up her hands she saw they were glowing pink, nearly as brightly as they had in her dream, and this stopped her as she stared at them with an open mouth.

"Kagome, it's OK!" her mother held up her hands, standing to block the youkai from her daughter. "Put your hands down, you don't want to _purify_ him!"

_Purify? _Kagome stared at her hands. _Is that what this is about?_

"She's got the power, Ouna. Does she know how to use it?" asked the demon.

"No, and that makes her all the more dangerous to the likes of you..." she replied in a near whisper. "Now stand back while I calm her down," and she went to her daughter, who had a look of horror on her face, the glow of her hands subsiding. Taking her daughter into her arms, she hugged her and whispered in her ear.

Michael, thinking better of his ninja attack, assumed a more casual pose, wide eyes on the youkai standing not ten feet in front of him. He could _feel _him. It was just like the feeling he had when confronted by the limo driver. He backed up a little bit, as the youkai eyed him for a moment before smiling a warm smile. Then he did an amazing thing. He walked up to Michael slowly, and reached out his hand to touch Michael's cheek, and a teardrop made it's way past his eyes.

"It's been a long wait, Hioushi-sama," and he sniffed, before drawing Michael into a hug.

"Um..." Michael's voice was muffled against the broad shoulder of the demon. "I think there's been some mistake, my name is Michael," he muttered dumbly, eyes still like saucers.

"You're scaring him..." said Ouna as she walked toward them, arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Kagome, I want you to meet a very dear _friend_," she said emphasizing the word. "This is Shippou, he was a traveling companion to my great aunt." Kagome stared at the demon, unsure how to respond. _How do you do? Gee it's nice to meet ya? WHAT am I thinking?_

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Ouna. I don't think they are ready for the, as you so well put it, _likes of me,"_ his eyes grew sad.

"Don't be ridiculous, they just need to get used to the idea. They have only recently encountered any youkai at all!" and she went to him to bring his face down and kiss his cheek. "Let's all go inside and visit... Shippou, too much time has passed." She hooked her arm into the demon's. "How is the family?" And she directed the group back into the house.

"Doing well, we have my grandson enrolled in the city school now," He replied. "He can maintain a form for ever so much longer than I could at his age. And I can think of no better way to learn the ways of human's than through their education process."

"I have to agree. It's too bad that other youkai can't assume truly human form." Ouna responded. "I have always believed that understanding is the key needed to open the door for peace."

"Wait a minute, Momma," interrupted Kagome. "You mean to say that there are demon children in the city schools? What city?"

"San Francisco," Shippou replied. "My grandson is in your class, Kagome." He grinned broadly.

Simultaneously Kagome and Michael looked at one another and said "Connor!"

"Ah! So Hioushi-sama has met him as well?" he asked good naturedly.

"Huh?" Kagome's face went blank. "Hioushi-sama?"

"My name is Michael, not hooshi," Michael sounded irritated.

Kagome gasped with a realization, then started to giggle, as she tugged on Michaels shirtsleeve.

"Mikey-kun! Hioushi is Japanese for Monk... a Buddhist monk!" her titter turned into a full laugh as his jaw dropped.

"What's so funny, you two?" her mother asked as she started the water for some tea.

"Sally has been calling Mikey 'Monk' for quite a while now, a kind of a pet name ..." and she laughed some more. "Only her explanation for it is that he's making up for lost time, monk in a past life...he can be such a hentai!" And she continued to laugh.

At this the fox-youkai grinned.

"And Sally is...?" he asked.

"She's my fiance," Michael eyed Shippou closely. "She will be coming up from the city tonight... Have we met before? You seem awfully familiar to me for some weird reason."

"Fiance... fiance... oh, help me here Ouna..." the demon's face was screwed up digging mentally for the definition.

"Betrothed... mated... same thing, no ceremony yet," she joined them at the table.

"He's still courting, then?"

"It's past that, I think," and she winked at Michael.

"So he's marked her..." continued the demon. "But they haven't had the... what is it... wedding, is that right?"

"Close enough," and she grinned at Michael's blush.

"Marked?" he asked. Did a tattoo count?

"It's youkai ritual, to mark one's mate," Shippou explained. " It binds them permanently and shows the bonding to everyone else, so there is no mistake as to the ... availability of the one in question." And Kagome gasped.

"What is it, little one?" her mother asked with concern.

"The dream... the first one... the guy in red was..." and her blush grew more crimson.

"Trying in his own way to make an honest woman out of you?" Michael tried to help, suppressing his smirk behind his hand.

"He said I had to agree, and that it would be forever..." and eyes became unfocused.

"She's remembering, Ouna... I don't know if that's bad, or good," Shippou whispered to his old friend, his eyes sad.

"You don't know the half of it, Shippou." Ouna rose and went over to the cabinet. "I think I know why the demonic activity in this region has increased," and she pulled out the specimen jar which still contained the jewel, taking it to the table and setting it down in the center. It pulsed slightly, as the already large green eyes of the youkai grew larger.

"Where? How?" he asked in awe.

"Kagome, last Saturday," she answered flatly.

"I don't get it..." he looked at Kagome. "You... they... completed it! I assumed that he made his wish after..." he looked at Ouna, "after she passed away..."

"Apparently not, as you can see," and she motioned to the jar.

"Cripes Kagome! Why aren't you wearing it?" he demanded as he grabbed for the jar, the jewel tinkling against it's sides as he started to unscrew the top.

"Wear it?" she asked, looking to her mother for answers.

"My aunt wore it on her neck, under her haori. She said it was safest there, anyone who wanted it would have to go through her."

"Sounds to me like wearing it would invite trouble, Kagome," interjected Michael.

"Then tell me Hioushi-sama, where would it be safest? She is the one who keeps it pure, it can be tainted just as easily by the wrong person, anyone with evil intent. And the power can be used either way, now you tell me who should have it? The Miko of Power, or whomever finds it wherever _you_ decide to store it?" Shippou glared at Michael. "I can't _believe_ you just said that!"

"Calm down, Shippou... he doesn't remember anything... this is all new to him," Ouna interceded. "I don't remember much, myself. You know that."

"You remember how to set up those damn wards well enough," he scowled.

"And it's a good thing I do too, the way things have been lately," she reached over and took his hand. "You weren't expected old friend, the day of your arrival was past. But, I am so very happy to see you now!"

"So this is the same friend you told me about, Momma? The one with such good knowledge of the legends?" Kagome inquired.

"Yes, as I said he was a traveling companion of my great aunt Kagome..." she smiled at Shippou, "Actually a bit more than just a traveling companion."

Kagome looked at the demon, appraisingly.

"You were the fox kit... that she adopted?" she asked him. "That means that you were there almost from the beginning!"

"Kagome was like a mother to me, for many years. She and Inuyasha defeated the demons that murdered my parents, all over little tiny pieces of _that_" and he nodded to the bottle. "Please, Kagome... take the jewel, you are the only one who can keep it pure."

None of them had touched it, it had remained in the specimen jar since the day Ouna had carried it home in her bag. Kagome tentatively reached for the jar, which Shippou had opened and pushed toward her. Picking it up, she tipped the jewel out into her open palm, a quick intake of breath as she felt the pulsating power.

"It will make you stronger... your power... just don't get pissed and push me, OK?" Shippou grinned. "You're strong enough to do some real damage already without it."

"How do I wear it? I wouldn't want to mar it with some kind of setting." She held the sphere against her cheek, it was so warm..._it's like it's alive._

"I have an idea," interjected Michael as he reached back and pulled out his leather hair tie. "This was too long for me anyway..." and he took the length of leather and quickly fashioned a cradle for the jewel. "Put it in there," and he held it out to Kagome.

She carefully set the jewel into the pocket he had made. He got up, walking around her, tyeing it around her neck as she lifted her hair, making certain that it nestled low between her breasts.

"Problem solved, at least for the time being," he grinned tossing his long hair before returning to his seat. "What's for lunch Ouna-sama, I am starving!"

"Mmm..."and Shippou looked at Kagome, "How about some ninja food?" Without thinking, Kagome got up from her seat and left the room."Was it something I said?" He asked, looking at the two remaining at the table, who both shrugged. Only a moment later, Kagome returned with her over sized pack, which she set on the table. Ripping the Velcro of the fastener, she reached in and pulled out a cup of instant ramen.

"I have no idea why I packed these, " as she pulled out two more. "But for some strange reason I did..." she pulled out yet another Styrofoam cup.

"Ninja food!" cried out the demon. "You remembered!"

"Oh, wait..." and she reached in one more time to pull out an over sized lollipop. "Does this mean anything?"

"And the fox asked for a treat..." mused Michael, remembering the dream she had told them about days before. He looked over at Shippou, to see the youkai with tears streaming down his face, nodding.

"It means... everything, to me..." he somewhat blubbered, as Ouna patted his hand.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and company. I do own an over active imagination, however... (Move over Walter Mitty!) OMG I just dated myself, didn't I... sigh

Finding Kagome

Chapter Eighteen

The sun made it's way toward the horizon, though there was no view of it from where the two brothers sat in the limousine. Attire had been changed to the more modern look of Sesshoumaru's white slacks and trench coat, with Inuyasha sporting the outfit that had been purchased for him for the journey to the states. Sesshoumaru had presented him with a leather jacket, much in the style of the soft shoes and hat that he wore, which had a long fluttering fringe across the chest and back, as well as down the arms, with the same conch style metal adornments as his hat. The fashion pictures that Laura had shown him earlier that day of what she had called Classic Western Style reflected the same types of design. Clint had told him what a cow-boy was, and it was nothing like he had imagined. He now knew that the term 'Dude' was not derogatory, but a common reference. So much to remember, so much swam in his head. He watched the buildings pass, as the car wove through the streets. This was a different driver, and he swore he could feel the difference as the car moved gracefully from one lane to another, without so much a mild rocking motion.

"Oi, jackass," he broke the silence between them, as they made their way through the streets of the city. "What happened to that other driver? The one that pissed you off..." he inwardly shuddered at the memory of the scene of his brother 'disciplining' the driver for not responding fast enough.

"This Sesshoumaru took his younger brother's counsel under advisement... and dismissed the useless twit," came the bland response. Their eyes locked for a moment, as Inuyasha took in just exactly what the demon had said.

"My _counsel_?" He tipped his hat back, as he sat back in the seat. "I really do hate it when you talk like that, it's like you're talking about someone else..." he eyed his elder brother, then cast his gaze out the window to the enormous buildings lining this street. "You make it sound like it's not you, or me you are talking about... some other guys..." his eyes grew wide as they passed large animated billboard, depicting a scantily clad three dimensional female offering a bottle of beer seductively. "They sure do get big around here!" and he whistled low.

"Hn," was the demon's only response, as he appeared to impassively observe the hanyou's reaction to the passing scene. "Same technology as the Television, halfbreed."

"Well, she needs to put some clothes on..." and he pulled back from the window with a slight blush, holding his arms as if they were inside his haori. "How much longer?"

"Soon, Inuyasha." The demon smiled inwardly. His little brother was a grown man, certainly, yet in so many ways he held a peculiar kind of innocence. And even with all the tragedies he had faced, he still managed to maintain a youthful exuberance that was endearing. Though the ancient demon's countenance didn't show it, he was honored to be with him now.

They both looked out the window as the limo turned up a long hillside street. Sesshoumaru glanced at the sign on the corner, it was the street of the address. It was a middle class neighborhood of converted Victorian style homes, turned apartments which housed mostly the young working class.

The limo continued up the hill, then down the opposite side, coming to a stop not far past the crest.

"I believe we are here, Inuyasha," he announced as he pulled on a white knit cap, effectively drawing his hair around his exotic markings. Inuyasha adjusted his hat, and fingered where Tetsusaiga should be on his left hip, frowning. Something just didn't feel right, and it wasn't just the absence of his sword. As the driver opened the door, Inuyasha exited first, standing and stretching his frame as he took in the line of houses that descended down the street on both sides. Catching his hat as it slid back, he stepped back to allow Sesshoumaru to exit, then looked up at the house directly across the street. As the elder was telling the driver to wait in the car, he noticed that there was a broken window on an upstairs room, and the glint of something stuck on the top of the glass.

"Look, jackass... over there... is that what I think it is?" He pointed toward the window. Sesshoumaru shaded his eyes from the reflection of the setting sun on the window, peering at it.

"Kuso!" Inuyasha hissed. "Taijiya? Here?" As he looked down to the ground in an attempt at casualness, Sesshoumaru glanced to the source of his brother's astonishment. A female had just exited the same house wearing a peace officer's uniform, sans the headgear, which he knew varied depending on the officer's assignment. She carried a case on her back, slung across her shoulder and she looked very displeased.

"That is law enforcement, not a slayer," he breathed for no other ears than his brothers. He too, struck a casual pose as he shut the door. The female had noticed them, hopefully she had thought nothing of it, as she appeared to be getting into her vehicle. "Don't look her way, don't show her your eyes," again his words nothing more than breath. Looking away from the vehicle, "There's a ward on that window, and yet the window is broken. Whom ever did it, did not gain entry from there."

"That's what I thought," replied the hanyou, as he fidgeted with the fringe on the front of his jacket, casting a hooded glance at the car as it pulled away. He knew his eyes, though mirrors of his brothers, were unique enough to draw attention. And a second glance by that female could end their opportunity to find out more about this Kagome Higurashi. Only after the car had disappeared over the crest of the hill and out of site, did they return their attention to the building across the street.

"In the words of a dear old friend, _this does not bode well_," commented Sesshoumaru, as they headed across the quiet street.

"Hn... whatever," replied Inuyasha as he cautiously followed the demon into the front door of the building, though the phrase was one that triggered... something... _who was it that used to say that all the time? Surely it wasn't anyone that Sesshoumaru knew , let alone called an old friend..._

Quietly as death the two moved through a common hallway, past the manager's office and quarters, and found the stairs leading to the second floor.

"You feel that?" Inuyasha whispered.

"Indeed," replied Sesshoumaru, equally as quiet. "It's not fresh..."

"But, it's definitely wolf..." and as they reached the top of the stairs, upon seeing the door broken and off the hinges, he exclaimed, "FUCK!" His brother grabbed him around the head with lightening speed and clamped his clawed hand over his mouth.

"Not here, halfbreed!" he hissed in his ear as he pushed him through the doorway. The number on the door was right... and the place was in a shambles."We don't have much time, the female will be back soon with others, I am certain of it."

Inuyasha stood in the middle of what had been a small living room, his jaw agape. The place reeked of wolf, but there was no scent of blood. Just total chaos. Broken glass and pottery was all over the floor, and as he moved carefully from room to room it was more of the same. Pillows torn, stuffing tossed in all directions, pictures torn from the walls and thrown carelessly on the floor.

"It appears that they were looking for something, and it doesn't look like they found it." Sesshoumaru came into the bedroom, where Inuyasha had stopped. His brother was holding a broken picture frame in his hands, dusting off the broken pieces of glass. "What have you there?" he asked, glancing around at the wild confusion of tossed clothing, emptied drawers and shredded bedding.

"It's Goshinboku," he replied, distantly. Then he reached down and picked up yet another broken frame, "Oh Kami!"

"Inuyasha!"warned his brother, then looked at the photo that he held. It was of the strange little miko as a young girl wearing that nearly indecent outfit, which he now recognized as being a school uniform. And his brother was transfixed on it, tears brimming in his eyes. "Now is not the time for sentimentality, halfbreed! You wanted evidence, then find your evidence... _now."_

"Right..." as he wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve, Inuyasha frantically looked around at all the destruction, as his brother edged himself to the window to look out on the street. "Fuck, Sesshoumaru... where do I start?"

"Where did she go, halfbreed? Look for something with an address on it, or a book with writing in it, numbers... anything like that," he returned his attention to the window and the street below..

At first, Inuyasha picked at the flimsy undergarments and such that littered the bedroom floor, noting that even the alarm clock had been stomped to pieces. He wandered from room to room, trying to work past his anger and freshened grief... past the scent of the invaders... digging through and reaching out with his very spirit for some sense of his mate.

Sesshoumaru maintained his vigil by the bedroom window, cautious of the wards that had been slapped on it, apparently in haste. There was a familiarity to them, and careful to remain in shadow he moved closer to inspect the Kanji on the sutra. Finely drawn with a calligrapher's hand in gold paint, were prayers for protection, good health, abundance of spirit. Even the sense of the weave of power around them was familiar as he edged his clawed hand near them, feeling the force of the barrier... _could it be? _

"I can't read this, is it anything?" Inuyasha had reentered the room holding out a small book bound in plastic with the image of sakura blossoms on it, while under his arm he held fast to a small narrow first aide kit. In the other hand a small box of chamomile tea. Sesshoumaru took the book, and opened it to find addresses and dates, names and telephone numbers.

"This is a good find, little brother," and he examined the other items that the hanyou seemed to be treasuring. "Those are common items..." he dismissed them.

"Maybe to you, jackass... but to me... it all adds up to Kagome," and he reached down to pick up the two broken frames with the scratched pictures, then removed the portraits. "I'm done here."

"Surely you don't intend on taking those things..." Sesshoumaru reached out for the photos and was rewarded with a snarl. "Inuyasha, those will be missed, you can't take them." He could hear cars pulling up out in front of the building. There was no time to argue the matter.

"They belong to me as much as they do anyone... My mate..." and he waved the picture of young Kagome, "my damn tree... I slept there for half a fuckin' century, it's mine if it's anyone's!"

Sesshoumaru could not argue against his logic, at least not with law enforcement about to climb the stairs and find them there.

"Fine then..." he acquiesced with a glare, "Drop the rest, we have to find an alternate way out... come," Slipping the small date book into his breast pocket, he grabbed the stubborn hanyou by the collar to drag him to the back of the apartment, into a tiny kitchen area with a small window over the sink. He motioned toward it as they heard voices and footsteps entering the common hallway downstairs., Sesshoumaru wiggled at the latch on the window, then he cast a deadly, meaningful glare at the items that Inuyasha was still holding.

Inuyasha's reactively rolled his eyes, then glared back at the demon, not breaking eye contact as he raised his arm allowing the first aide kit to drop noisily to floor. Jumping at the sound, he cringed then slipped the damaged pictures into his jacket, as Sesshoumaru continued to fidget with the latch on the window. It had been painted shut, or so it appeared. Trying to loosen it with his claws was ineffective, and the voices were now coming up the stairs.

"Warding was unnecessary on this... it's impassible... hold your breath, halfbreed... now!" and his claws began to glow with a fluorescent green poison. Inuyasha gulped a breath as his eyes began to water from the noxious excretions. Running a claw along the edge of the latch, Sesshoumaru was able to pull it completely free, the poison melting through the paint like acid, marring the metal, and staining the wood. He quickly pushed the window up, and launched himself through it, dropping gracefully to the small yard below. Inuyasha followed, holding onto his hat during his descent, fringe flying around him. As he landed by his brother, both adjusted their head attire and they quickly walked to the gate.

As the forensic team entered the apartment, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were nonchalantly walking across the street to the waiting car. They could hear them coughing, and arguing about the source of the miasma. This amused Sesshoumaru, in a guilty way, as the driver opened the door for them.

"Is it my imagination, or has that shit gotten ranker with age?" Inuyasha queried with a smirk as he lowered himself into the limousine. Sesshoumaru merely raised an eyebrow, as he followed his brother into the car.

Both of the brothers were lost in their own thoughts for some time, during the drive back to the compound. Inuyasha had pulled the scratched and tattered portraits from his jacket, and as it grew darker, he reached and turned on the interior light to better see. His mind filled with memories of days spent following rumors of fragments, stopping to help people at Kagome's insistence, of fighting and learning the true power of Tetsusaiga, of growing to care for his small group of comrades so completely that they were no longer simply allies with a common enemy, but had become a family to him. Of finally coming to the realization that he loved Kagome more than he loved life itself.

Sesshoumaru pondered on the ward he had examined, and how _familiar_ it felt. That was an art he had thought lost, though mimicked much among the 'spiritual' movements of the day. And yet here in this mediocre little apartment in the center of the city, not only did he find a piece of _real_ ancient power, but with a familiar feel in how it had been cast. Ancient memories began to resurface, of a rare friendship with a human, borne of little Rin's needs that he could not meet. He had known nothing of human ailments, childhood or otherwise. And his disdain for things human had been pushed aside just enough to seek the help of someone who could treat the child. That had been a crack in the door, in which she had shoved her foot... effectively turning his world upside down. Even though human, the old miko had had a universal wisdom about her. He would _never forget _her.

"Miroku," Inuyasha broke the silence of their individual reverie.

"Nani?" replied Sesshoumaru absently.

"It was Miroku that used to say that... it was like a mantra to him, I swear," and he shook his head.

"Say what?"

"_This does not bode well_," Inuyasha chuckled. "Miroku, the Hioushi that traveled with us. You said an old friend used to say that, before we went in that place. But you didn't know Miroku..."

"The one with the cursed hand," acknowledged Sesshoumaru. "No... that was not to whom I was referring."

"I never thought you had friends," Inuyasha cast a glance at his aloof brother. "I never thought you needed or cared about anybody at all... ever."

Sesshoumaru's expression remained unchanged as he took in what his brother had said. It was truth. The hanyou's past observations had been very accurate.

"For centuries," his eyes caught and held the focus of those of his brother, "for centuries I saw it as a weakness. One this Sesshoumaru could not afford. There was always someone to challenge the legitimacy of my position..." his words trailed off, as he tried to will his brother's understanding with the intensity of his gaze.

For a moment, brief as it was, Inuyasha felt a sense of empathy with the demon. He too had disdained any relationships, knowing they would only be yanked from him... like his mother had been... and after losing Kagome, he had returned to that life not wishing for any more pain. He had pushed the kitsune away, the only member of his adopted family to remain alive. _But he was old enough to be on his own... I did him a favor... he didn't need me anymore... no one did._ Inuyasha broke eye contact.

"Much too late, this Sesshoumaru discovered that it is in the contacts that we share, that we leave our legacy," Sesshoumaru concluded. It was short of an apology for being so cruel when he was young, but it was as close as he would allow himself.

"What the fuck does that mean?" Inuyasha demanded. _Why can't the asshole talk like a normal person?_

The demon passively eyed the hanyou for several moments, as he considered how to make himself more clear. He looked out the window at the lights of the early evening.

"I was wrong," he said simply, his expression unchanged. Then he took in a deep breath, and looked at his brother, "It means... that I was wrong."

Inuyasha looked down at the picture of young Kagome in his hands, an odd look of amusement in his eyes. _Did you hear that, Koi? Hell has officially frozen over... the bastard actually admitted he was wrong..._

_"_Hn," the demon grunted in response to his brother's amused expression. At least it was better than more tears, and for once they weren't fighting. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the little date book. Surely there was some clue there as to where those two were going with that rental.

He began to read.

A/N: Thank you desdemona, your review was very encouraging!


	20. Chapter Nineteen

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter 19

Kagome's tongue slipped past her lips as she concentrated on the elaborate kanji she was attempting to duplicate. Sitting on her knees at a low table, she chanced a darting glance at Michael's work down the table from her. _Why do I feel like I'm back in school..._ she sighed, _and failing..._ She returned to her task, though it was difficult to concentrate. _Of course... I _had_ to ask Momma to make me more, so she insists I learn to do it myself._ Not that she had anything _else_ to worry about, oh no...

The revelations of the last few days swam in her head. It was as though her comfortable little world had been gradually pulled apart and reassembled into some abstract mural, where the familiar had been replaced with the fantastic, and reality was now the illusion.

She had known that within the legend there was _some_ basis in fact, but she had always seen it more as a tale of morality. The pure of heart, searching for some truth, amending an error by restoring the shattered Jewel, battling elements of darkness and evil, the 'Happily Ever After' ending with the completion of the Jewel. She had never really thought about what happened after that.

_But isn't that how life is? There really is no end to any story, life keeps happening ... endings are merely constructs of the storyteller._

"If you don't concentrate, all you will have is a piece of pretty paper, little one." Ouna had been standing in the doorway for several moments, observing her two 'apprentices'. "Are you going for aesthetic or functional?"

"Preferably... both Ouna-sensei," remarked Michael with a grin.

"Hm," she grunted as she moved closer to examine his handiwork.

"I'm sorry Momma, I just can't seem to concentrate. I'm trying, really I am..." Kagome took in a deep breath and sat back from the table. She could feel the pulsing of the orb that was nestled between her breasts, and it was alternately comforting and distracting. Gazing at her efforts she grimaced, "It's not even pretty paper."

"Michael, are you sure you haven't done this before?" Ouna picked up one of the dry sutra from the stack that he had in front of him.

"No ma'am, this is all new ground for me, how do they look?" He raised himself onto his knees stretching his torso to see which one she was holding. Kagome leaned in their direction also trying to get a glimpse.

"These are remarkable, Michael. What were you thinking as you wrote them?"

He took a moment to consider her question. "I did just what you said to do, I cleared my mind and then just concentrated on the prayer for each one. Each one is different..."

"I see that... and I can _feel _it too..." she trailed off, peering at the young man.

Blushing under her scrutiny, Michael squirmed and made motions of straightening up his work area. Setting the stack of finished and dried sutra to the far side of the table, he quickly pulled his hand back for his brush, grazing the still open ink jar and tipping it over to spill some of the thick fluid on the table. His unusually quick reflexes true to form, he righted the bottle with a low curse as he frantically glanced around for something to clean the mess with, trying to avoid Ouna's eyes. Grabbing an unused strip of paper, he blotted at the ink spot, then folded it. Unfolding the paper, he examined the result, and held it up to Kagome.

"Ink blot... what do you see, Miko?" Kagome tried to suppress a giggle behind the back of her hand, as he cast her an impish grin.

"It would be interesting to see what Shippou thinks of these," Ouna commented absently, as Kagome and Michael froze for a moment, then began snickering simultaneously at the memory of the demon's repeated head bashing against Ouna's ward earlier that morning. It was nice to laugh about it now, as frightening as the whole scene had been to them as it had unfolded.

"Surely mine aren't as strong as yours are, Ouna," he looked up and on seeing the seriousness in her eyes he stopped chuckling, his cheeks reddening once again..

"Only one way to find out..." and she grinned with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "He's been with Taki for the last hour, going over the preliminary designs for the set. Come with me Michael, lets set one up and see what happens."

Michael rose to follow her, grabbing the stack off of the table, his expression skeptical.

"Momma! Isn't that kind of mean? I mean, he's _your_ _friend_... It just seems mean to me, to do something like that..." Kagome trailed off, as she rose to follow the two.

"There's no real harm, little one. Warning him would defeat the purpose, if he knows what is there and who created it, then that will effect his reaction to it. This way we can get a true test of the power of Michael's work." She led them from the room, and out into the heavily landscaped courtyard which separated the main house from the bungalows. During the summer months these dwellings were filled with guests, escaping from the city to relax in the hot springs, or participate in one of the many workshops that were hosted there. Taki and Bo shared one of the little houses on the far end, near the gardening shed, and that was where Shippou had gone.

Kagome hesitated as they made their way down the steps, watching as her mother whispered some instructions to Michael, who then simply set a slip of paper which she had chosen onto the pathway. Then sitting cross legged on the ground partially hidden by a bush, he pressed together his fingertips and assumed a posture of meditation. Ouna walked back toward Kagome, and sat on an ornate iron bench, looking back at her daughter, and patting the seat next to her in invitation.

"I don't like this, Momma," Kagome muttered as she seated herself beside her mother. "It just feels... wrong."

"Shippou has been a godsend, little one. I have learned much about the nature of his kind from him. His mate is from Great Britain, did you know that? She is also kitsune-youkai. This won't be the first time for him to be my guinea pig, nor the last I am sure," she patted her daughter's hand.

Kagome stared at her mother in disbelief. She still had a million questions that had not been answered. It seemed as though no sooner than she would just begin to get comfortable with one new revelation, and another one would be thrown at her.

"Momma, why didn't you ever tell me about Shippou before now?"

"Hm... it never came up?" Kagome raised an eyebrow at Ouna's feeble attempt at evasion.

"How long have you known him?" She demanded. "How did you meet him?"

Ouna fixed her gaze on her only child, then letting out a slow breath, she scanned the courtyard searching for a suitable answer. Her greatest fear had been realized the day they had removed the Shikon no Tama from her. _It would have been so much simpler if it had been purified... now only an uncertain future lies ahead..._Kagome deserved answers, but she feared losing her because of those answers. There was nothing to be done now, only the truth would suffice.

"We met at the family shrine in Tokyo. You were a tiny baby then. My mother sent me, well... _sent us_ ... so that I could get grounded after your father was killed," her gaze returned to her daughter. "Losing him so suddenly left me a bit of a lost soul, I suppose," she sighed, war was a terrible thing.

"You never told me we went to Japan, Momma." There was hint of disbelief in Kagome's expression as she watched her mother seem to gather courage for what was to follow. _Can it really be that bad?_

"He had said that he wanted to see where his adopted mother came from. I thought he was addled at first, I had heard nothing about any legal adoptions in the family, so I assumed he had the wrong place. He took me to Goshinboku, and told me that was where the hanyou had been sleeping, the one who had raised him," her gaze unfocused, "It never made any sense to me, how a half demon could be sealed to the family tree and no one notice it... and here was this stranger, appearing from no where telling me details about our God Tree..."Ouna went quiet

"You didn't know his true nature then, I take it..." Kagome pressed.

"No... he appeared to be European, with his oddly long red hair... Then he told me about my aunt, and what strong and brave woman she was and how she had cared for him after he was orphaned, how the miko and the hanyou avenged his father's murder. He spoke of his grief when she died, and how hurt he was when the hanyou had pushed him away." Ouna paused in reflection.

"Are you saying that something about his story didn't add up? Momma, seriously, there is a lot about all of this that just doesn't add up to me... oh look, here they come..." Kagome put her hand on her mother's and nodded in the direction of the path.

Taki, Bo and Shippou strolled toward the courtyard chatting animatedly, Taki waving a cardboard tube in emphasis, while Bo ambled along behind them, nodding his agreement. Shippou waved his hands in front of him, obviously negating something, then looked up to see Kagome and Ouna sitting on the bench. His frown turned to a brilliant smile.

"Ouna, your man does not see eye to eye with me!" he shouted as he quickened his step. "Is there a _reason_ that the Bone Eater's Well has been excluded?"

"The Bone... what?" demanded Kagome as she looked at her mother's disconcerted expression.

"I was getting to that part..." and their attention was suddenly drawn to the source of a wild yelp, as all three men were bounced back onto the stone walkway.

"Get off of me you oaf!" grumbled Taki at a startled Bo who had been blown backwards by Shippou, who was now sprawled on the path, holding his head.

"Oh Momma, see? They're hurt!" and Kagome jumped up to go assist, while Michael emerged from behind the bush with a sheepish grin.

Bo rolled off of Taki, shaking his head as Kagome offered him a hand up. The gardener on the other hand, was quick to accept though unable to rise, grabbing his knee while wincing in pain.

Ouna quickly made her way to the demon, laughing as she knelt by his side. She motioned for Michael to join her, and he did so, albeit a bit timidly.

"That one wasn't one of yours... that one really... hurt!" Shippou moaned as he rubbed his head, examining his old friend. He then glared at the young man for a moment, as though considering a proper act of retribution. "Lose the fucking ward, monk..." he growled. Michael's eyes widened, the order sounded so... familiar... and instinctively he raised his hands in an effort to explain. "NOW!" He quickly grabbed the sutra and ripped it, sensing the dissipation of the power as he did so.

"Don't be angry at the boy, Shippou... I told him to do it. It was the only way to fairly test his power..." Ouna explained, attempting to diffuse the situation.

"Riiight," and the youkai slowly stood, eying the young man suspiciously.

"Momma, this is bad..." Kagome drew their attention to to Taki's knee, which had begun to swell noticeably.

"Stupid moose landed right on top of me..." he groaned, rubbing at his knee while casting a fiery glare at Bo, who stood back with a terribly sad expression in his eyes.

"It was an accident, Taki... Bo got knocked around too... by my head I think," grumbled the youkai rubbing at his temple. "No more, monk... I mean it... once is more than enough... some things carry over. Miroku was quite formidable, you know."

"I didn't know... Miroku, huh?" Michael's focus on the kitsune-youkai intensified for a moment, then he muttered, "sorry..." and wandered over to the bench to sit and stare at the sky.

"I told you this was a bad idea, Momma... now look at Taki's leg..." Kagome chastised. Ouna rose and went to examine the damage, her fingers gingerly pressing against his kneecap with a light glow.

"Doesn't look good, I think we should have this scanned..." she mumbled. Youkai were damn near indestructible, but her gardener wasn't, and the guilt was beginning to seep into her cheeks.

"I can alleviate some of the pain, but you shouldn't walk on it..." she concentrated her energy on swollen tissue.

"Wait... Momma..." hesitation in her voice, Kagome could feel a pulse radiating through her body. "Let me try something... please?" The memory of her dream was vivid, her hands had glowed as she touched the injury, and it had healed right before their eyes. Perhaps that is what the new sensations were about...

Ouna backed away, as she watched her daughter reach out toward Taki's knee. The pink aura began at her fingertips and radiated past her elbows as she gently laid her open palms across the effected area. The pulse was like a heartbeat that filled the air around them...

one...

two...

three...

and Kagome pulled back to examine her handiwork.

Michael jumped at the throbbing in the air around him, it seemed to crackle, and he rushed to her side, to see Taki working his knee, which no longer seemed to be swollen in the least.

"She's remembering..." Shippou whispered.

"I'll be damned..." Michael mumbled, wide eyes focused on Kagome..

"No, monk... You're blessed..." corrected the youkai. "We all are. She's really back..."

Staring at the youkai, Michael sensed a kind of apprehension behind that statement. He watched his dear friend, as she helped the gardener up to test his freshly healed knee.

"Why do I get the feeling..." he commented, "that for some strange reason this does not bode well?"

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	21. Chapter Twenty

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Twenty

There was fog moving inland, and as the twilight grew dimmer Sally watched it spill over the westerly hills in slow motion, like foam from a too quickly poured beer. Switching on her fog lamps, she settled in for close watch of the road, as she sped north on Highway 101. She glanced into the rear view mirror at her own reflection. _Who the hell is that?? _It was the likeness of some _other _woman who's pale features contrasted sharply with the midnight blue of her uniform, a woman who's eyes were mirrors to the gates of hell.

_To hell with this..._ She shook herself, then reached down and flipped on the stereo system, cranking up the volume.

She just didn't have the heart to relay the news over the phone, it had to be done in person. The destruction was so complete, the entire place had been trashed. She had told her superiors that she would conduct the initial interview with the victim, and fax it into headquarters. That was the only way she was able to get away, and avoid the inevitably impersonal phone call being made to Kagome to inform her of the break in. _Who would do this to her?? Everyone loves Kagome..._

_And what the hell was that smell_?

On her return with forensics, it was like the place had been bombed with teargas.

It was supposed to be a quick stop to pick up her shamisen before making the drive up the retreat. She had seen that the living room window was broken as she got out of her car, and something just didn't feel right as she climbed the stairs. The building was too quiet, for one thing. It was a old converted Victorian with 5 units, and it seemed as though no one was there. Then she saw the door, broken . . . no not just broken . . . _splintered. _

She had done a quick walk through, before picking up her instrument, which lay with a broken neck across the living room from where she had left it propped against the end of the couch. There wasn't much of a couch left, now. The cushions had been literally shredded, with the padding and foam tossed everywhere around the room, leaving bare springs and the wooden skeleton of the thing peeking through the upholstery. The multitude of decorative little pillows had suffered the same fate. She found pieces of the coffee table scattered throughout the place, and all of the pictures had been ripped from the walls. Refrigerator contents and kitchen cupboards had been emptied onto the floor, which was covered with broken dishes and the remnants of dry goods packages ripped open and the contents unceremoniously dumped. _It was like they were looking for something . . . something specific . . ._

The kitchen window had not been open then, but it was when she came back. _It looked as though someone had used acid to destroy the lock on it. _She didn't remember the first aide kit being on the floor in the kitchen, either. _That's a two story drop, no way someone jumped out of that window . . ._

Her mind was racing with all the minor details, the mental snapshots she had taken on her first time through, comparing them to what she had seen on returning to the scene with the forensics team. Something didn't fit, something that was alluding her. She could _feel _it. _. . . it didn't feel right._

_Hell, of course it doesn't feel right!_ _It was a crime, and crime never feels right, Rodriguez _. . . _especially when it hits so close to home _. . . _It was just so . . . so violent._ She shuddered, and she silently thanked the Gods that her friend had not been there.

She needed a drink. She needed Michael. She needed to fix her shamisen . . . _DAMN! Forget the shamisen!_ What was poor Kagome going to do? All of her belongings had been ripped to shreds, _literally_. Even those old photographs that she cherished so much . . . _Wait. . . _

_Photographs . . . broken frames . . . damaged great aunt Kagome on bedroom floor . . . _

_Flash to - empty broken frame by dresser . . . where did great aunt Kagome go? _

"She sure as hell didn't get up and walk out of there by herself . . ." she muttered. _Who would take an old school picture of someone who had been dead for what . . . 40 years or more?_

She shook herself, both hands on the wheel trying to focus on the road. The weather was strange, or maybe it was her mood. The winding of the road, the patchy fog, she could have sworn that she saw a large dust devil jump over the road just ahead.

_You're losin' it Rodriguez . . ._

Her mind tugged and pulled at what little evidence she had to go on as she deftly slid past the light evening traffic, weaving around the slower vehicles, anxiously making her way to the one sanctuary she knew, to the people she felt closer to than family. _I think I'll pick up some beer . . ._

She needed a drink. She needed Michael. She needed that _bitch_ in the rear view mirror to stop mocking her . . .

88888888888888

He had been there, still as stone, for hours. The natural camouflage of his garb blending into the backdrop of the massive pines. Just off the private road which led to the gate of the compound, he patiently awaited the return of his prey. The bastard would pay . . . and dearly.

There had been few suspects to look to, when he found his devoted mate mutilated on the forest floor. Only one bastard was brazen enough to do this, on _his turf_, to _his mate_. What he didn't understand, was how he had gotten past the sentries. . . unless he had help. And the old bastard had stepped up house security, this was not going to be easy. Then again, nothing was ever easy with Sesshoumaru. It never had been, and it never would be. The only answer was to get the fucker's pelt, and end this feud once and for all.

"Talk to me," he barked, catching a familiar scent. "What did you find?"

"Nothing, zilch," came the reply

"Was she there? Did you find the female?" he demanded.

"No. No sign of her," resignation tinged the answer. "Just the fucking wards she had slapped all over the place. She musta broke the one's on the door to leave, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten in at all."

"Anything else you want to tell me?" he knew there was more.

"Not really . . ."

"Let me rephrase it then. Anything else you _better_ tell me??" He turned his glower to the ookami-youkai that was perched on a limb above him. "You were gone for two days, it doesn't take two fuckin' days to search an apartment."

"There was a little snag. No big deal," arms folded loosely implying ease, the right hand of the Ookami leader looked away, unable to meet his alpha's gaze.

"Explain . . . snag. . . to me," he was becoming irritated. This had _not_ been a good week. The searches overseas had been fruitless, and in his absence Ayame had gotten herself killed. Now investigation of the one good lead they had here had apparently turned into a fiasco.

"The guys made too much noise . . . I guess," he peered down to meet his leader's eyes briefly. "The manager . . . she interrupted us . . . so Diego gagged her and . . ." he looked at the ground far below him.

"And...??"

"He was hungry."

"And a snack took two days to finish?"Kouga dropped to a snarl.

"Something like that . . ." Ginta replied with a look of disgust. "I made him take it somewhere else so they could finish the search. Then we had to go find _him_ . . . try to clean up his mess . . . cops were all over the place down by the docks. They found one of the legs before we did."

"Baka . . . where is he now?" All he got was a shrug for a reply. "Where is M'noche, it's his brat . . . he should handle it." At the youkai's raised brow and snort, his question was answered. M'noche had developed an addiction for ningen females. Searching that apartment had probably driven him over the edge. They might not see him for days. He returned his attention to the road. "Find Diego. I will straighten his ass out. Meet me at the caves."

"I'm on it," and Ginta dutifully left.

Kouga returned to his vigil. He knew the lead car was out, which meant His-arrogant-fucking- Lordship was out, and this road was a perfect setup for an ambush. He didn't need any help, the bastard only had one arm, after all, and no one carted around their swords anymore. Plus . . . this was a _personal_ vendetta. The sun had begun to set, and a fog was blowing in off the ocean. All the better.

His wait was not much longer.

When he saw the headlights turning up the winding path, a low snarl emitted from his throat and he began to salivate.

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	22. Chapter Twenty One

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Twenty One

It was becoming apparent to Sesshoumaru that some type of major event was in the works, as he thumbed his way through the tiny date book. The calendar section included 'construction' dates and 'rehearsal' dates, all leading up to a date in late April. The cultural fair. Of course, she was involved in something to do with the cultural fair. He glanced at InuYasha, who's eyes were closed. No doubt exhausted after so much exertion. It had not been his intention to disrupt the hanyou's recuperation by sharing the small bit of information he had. He should have known better. He did, after all, know how stubbornly obstinate InuYasha could be. The troubling thing was, why were the wolves also interested in this Kagome Higurashi? To what end would it serve them to destroy her home in such a manner? What could they possibly have been looking for? _What does Kouga know about, or suspect... that this Sesshoumaru does not..._

_"_The HELLS?" Shouted InuYasha, jumping at the loud _THUMP_ and scratching on the roof of the limousine. Sesshoumaru brought full attention to the ceiling above them, realizing too late his error in the distractions of his musings. "It's Kouga... shit... my sword..." InuYasha frantically grabbed at where Tetsusaiga should be strapped to his hip.

"Nothing to be done about it now, halfbreed... we must face him..." Sesshoumaru lowered the screen far enough to direct the driver to pull over, and instructed him to remain in the vehicle. As the vehicle stopped, a shape dropped off of the roof, and fell back into shadow to become only menacing eyes glowing in the mist.

Sesshoumaru exited, prepared for the attack and as expected he was rushed by the Ookami, who was obviously enraged. Barely dodging the first attack, Kouga's claws left a calling card on the elder youkai's side, as his whip lashed brightly catching the wolf's shoulder. At the scent of his brother's blood, InuYasha tore out of the opposite door, to jump onto the roof growling.

"You die tonight, old man..." growled Kouga, as he strafed around Sesshoumaru, paying no heed to the hanyou on the roof.

"Guess again, asshole... _sankon-tetsusou_!" InuYasha dove off the roof at the ookami, claws fully distended, where on Kouga leaped agilely to the side. Sesshoumaru took full advantage of the momentary distraction, and lashed his whip directly at the neck of his target. There was a satisfying sizzling sound as it made a connection, illiciting a gurgled yelp, as Kouga retreated into shadow to regroup.

"Resorting to the help of mongrels now, Sesshoumaru? My how things change..." came the taunt from the shadows.

"There once was a time when you ran in fear of this 'mongrel'... _whelp," _retorted the hanyou. "I hear you are an oath breaker..."

"What the... _who the hell are you?_" Kouga raised his nose to the air, edging out of the shadows to better see this intruder. "No fucking way! InuYasha is dead! Go back to Hell where you belong!"

"On who's authority? Your's? Don't make me laugh! What were your people doing at Kagome's apartment? Did they really have to wreck the place like that?" InuYasha moved closer, muscles taut, ready for the attack.

"You know about that? It's nothing... they found nothing..." his posture, initially defensive from the shock of coming face to face with InuYasha, quickly turned. "I knew you had to have had help, dog... the mess you left... Ayame reeked of you... but my sentries..." wolfish eyes narrowed on the hanyou. "Where is your toy, puppy? Is _that _what you used to puree my guard?"

"Didn't need anything but my bare hands..." InuYasha stretched his hands, bearing his claws, but his boast was cut off by his brother.

"InuYasha... enough. Your fight is with me Kouga," he prompted. At this InuYasha blinked and then scowled.

"Damn straight it's with you... Murdering hound..." and he again began to strafe around Sesshoumaru. "What kind of point could you possibly have been trying to make, by murdering my mate? I'll give you _one chance_ only... to explain yourself."

"Too much guilt for leaving her vulnerable, Kouga? She asked for what was handed to her, you know... and where were you?" Sesshoumaru had begun his own strafing circle, his claws beginning to drip. "This Sesshoumaru was seeking _you,_ that night... where were you? Why did you leave your mate defenseless?"

"She wasn't defenseless... She had the guard there, I saw to that... where I was..."and he snarled, "...is none of your damn business, Bastard!"

"It should be someone's business... your pack runs rampant, wolf... too many humans are dead because of their antics. You endanger all of us with your lack of... discipline." With this said, Sesshoumaru stopped moving. "You better than anyone should know it is a different world now..."

"I refuse to lay down and play dead... I am Youkai!" And Kouga lunged at Sesshoumaru with a snap of the jowls, twisting away narrowly from the claws that swept at him.

"This is bullshit..." grumbled InuYasha as he yanked off his shirt. "_Hijin-ketsusou_!" Slashing at his chest he threw his own blood at the ookami-youkai, watching it turn to daggers that tore into the youkai's exposed flesh. There was an initial yelp of shock, then deathly quiet.

"So the puppy wants to play..." Kouga snarled, licking at a rather prominent gash on his forearm.

"I'll take you apart, one piece at a time..." InuYasha cracked his knuckles, eyes agleam. "I owe that to Kagome, you said you would lay off eating humans... Oath breaker!" And the two lunged at one another so viciously the air around them crackled with the energy, along with snarls and the occasional yelp when a mark was scored. So fast and violent were the attacks that it could not be discerned where one combatant ended and the other began.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the black stain spreading on his side, and sighed. His favorite white trench was ruined, and InuYasha's intervention had prevented him gleaning any more information from the arrogant wolf. Walking back to the vehicle, he motioned to the driver to lower the window.

"Sir?" the driver inquired, glancing toward the fray.

"It's time..." was all he had to say, and the driver passed through the window the one and only firearm possessed by the Demon Lord , an antique .44 magnum revolver. "I hate to resort to this..." he sighed as he checked the cylinder, "InuYasha really shouldn't be exerting himself like this." Slapping the cylinder closed, he raised the pistol and fired twice into the air.

The shock wave of the gunfire had an immediate effect on both of the combatants, as they reeled from the sound, separating, each shaking their heads against the ringing in their respective ears.

Casting a glance at his hand, Sesshoumaru swore under his breath, seeing where traces of the poison from his claws had marred the surface of the pistol, which he quickly lowered to aim directly at the Ookami-youkai.

"As this Sesshoumaru has already stated," his voice was raised, though his expression remained impassive, "... it is a different world now, Kouga... Either adapt with the times, or disappear... The terrorizing of humans will stop, is that clear?" he pulled back the hammer, waiting for an answer.

InuYasha glowered at Sesshoumaru as he moved out of the line of fire to grab his shirt and hat off of the ground, violently slapping the dust off the latter against his knee, ignoring the multiple abrasions on his torso and arms.

"Who died and made you God, Asshole?" growled Kouga as he backed away, unsure of his ability to dodge the next bullet.

"I will say it so you can understand it, _whelp_... He who wields the power, and right now that power is this Smith and Wesson... also issues the edicts. No... more... people. Humans are not your enemy... Is that understood?"

"Just fuckin' use that thing and get it over with, Jackass..." hissed InuYasha, "He's an oath breaker! He promised to _never_ do that again... he promised Kagome!"

"Give me a break! The Miko's been dead over 500 years!" Kouga countered. "As your dear brother here just said... it's a different world now..."

"An oath is an oath, Kouga! How many have _you _eaten... I mean _personally_?" InuYasha waved his hands, "No... never mind... don't answer that, I really don't wanna know." He scowled with disgust as he slipped the hat on his head and crossed his arms across his chest.

"If only I could get inside your mind, wolf..." his voice but a whisper, Sesshoumaru lowered the weapon, carefully dropping the hammer. "All this bloodshed could be avoided."

"It's a little late for negotiations, bastard..." Kouga bared his fangs, "You made sure of that when you murdered Ayame."

"It was not my first attempt to discuss these issues with you... You refusals only escalate the problem, Kouga," Sesshoumaru was a testament of calm. "It is not going to go away... unless you make it go away by co-operating. This Sesshoumaru is not the only voice here, I represent many..."

"Cut the crap, Sesshoumaru!" Interjected InuYasha, his irritation tangible. "All your fancy words are worthless... The only way to stop this mangy fuck is to kill him!" And he stepped forward menacingly.

Crouching on the ground, Kouga eyed the weapon that was still in the inu-youkai's hand. This had not gone as planned, not at all. But he would be damned if he was going to roll over and play dead.

There was too much at stake. The quality of life for all youkai was in the balance here, and he could not ... _would not _budge.

"This isn't over, mutt... Not by a long shot..." he hissed as he jumped back and up to a low branch of a nearby pine. "This is bigger than you can possibly imagine, Sesshoumaru... and you better watch your back, old man... because I am watching you... your hide will grace the floor of my great hall once this is done... I promise you that!" With the parting threat, he transformed to an image of dark wind, briefly disturbing the fog that surrounded them as he bolted down the hillside.

"Why the fuck didn't you kill him?" demanded InuYasha as he stood arms folded across his chest, glaring at his brother.

"He challenges this Sesshoumaru for a position that is actually... nonexistent in this era. Use of a firearm would be wholly inappropriate in this circumstance. Get in the car, halfbreed... you are bleeding."

"Bah! It's just a scratch... what the fuck are you talking about? What position?" His gaze fell on the blackened area of the youkai's left side. He opened the door and motioned for Sesshoumaru to get in first.

"There is no Tai-Youkai here..." He settled himself into the seat, unsuccessfully masking his discomfort from the injury. "Treaties have been in place for centuries among the native youkai. Kouga seems to feel that this arrangement is... unsuitable, or so it appears."

"So what you are saying is... he wants to be King Shit, and he thinks if he kills _you_ he'll get it?" InuYasha snorted.

"Something tells me there is more to it than that. There is something that he is hiding." The limousine had reached the gates, and Sesshoumaru heard the driver pass the word that they were in need of the healer. He watched as InuYasha once again became completely absorbed in the old, scratched image of the young miko.

"There is something you must realize, InuYasha," he ventured.

"Nani..." the hanyou's response was vague, as though he wouldn't hear what he was being told.

Sesshoumaru leaned forward painfully, to try to catch his eye. Reaching his hand out, he touched his brother's leg lightly. InuYasha finally looked up into his intense gaze.

"The Miko..." the demon nodded toward the picture. "She is not that person, now... That image that you treasure is a thing from the past."

"What's your point, Jackass?"

"You realize, she can't possibly look the same."

"Huh?" InuYasha grasped the picture more tightly, looking at it, then glaring at his brother.

"You once told me that the Miko was also the one who pinned you... correct?"

"Yeah... when she broke the seal she was fixing her own mistake..."

"So... tell me, little brother... Did your Kagome... look like Kikyou?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course she didn't look like Kikyou..."

"It's a relevant one, be assured." Sesshoumaru sat back heavily on his seat.

"At first, I _thought_ she was Kikyou... I wanted to kill her..."

"Hn," the demon grunted. "what changed your mind?"

InuYasha thought on this for a moment, remembering that first meeting, playing it out in his mind. He remembered the conflict... _those eyes..._

"Her scent was all wrong. But it's not like I had a lot of time to think about it, the damn centipede was trying to kill her. All I cared about was getting rid of it and getting the jewel." He cast his eyes down at the old photograph. _That damn jewel, brought nothing but pain..._

The limousine had reached the mansion, and a group of people rushed down to the car, to assist their Lords into the house and back to the healers wing. InuYasha shrugged off the offers of assistance up the steps with a growl, as he watched the Great Bear practically haul the Demon Lord up and in with great haste, asking questions about how the wound came about. As they disappeared down the hall, the hanyou waved off the concerned questions of the remaining servants, and turned to look out into the foggy night.

_Where the hell are you, Kagome? Don't you know that I need you here... by my side?_

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The sound of the waves brought a serene sense of comfort as she lit a stick of incense, using caution to avoid the long wide sleeves of her flowing caftan. Gently sliding the incense into the feather shaped holder on her mantle, she adjusted her wireless headset. It tended to hook into her long chestnut locks, and pulled uncomfortably at the most inconvenient of times.

The calls had been slow, but then the full moon always made up for that. At that thought she smiled, as she picked up her cards and wandered to her reading table. There was a slight fluctuation in the flickering candle light, as though a breeze had brushed through the room, and this caused her to look up from the layout she had begun. Glancing at the candelabra on the table, she noticed a shifting in the fog just outside the sliding glass door. The elven face that formed beyond in the mist gave her a shock and she gasped. Moving to her computer to log off the network, ending her availability for incoming calls, she quickly made her way through the kitchen.

"You look like hell," she observed as she slid open the door to see her number one client leaning on the banister of the porch.

"Your house stinks..." came his reply, as he sauntered into her kitchen glancing around. "How can all these damn plants breath when you burn that shit?"

"They seem to like it just fine, Kouga... you are the one with the skewed sense of smell. That's Nag Champa, it's delicious!" She backed up to scan the wounds he was sporting, as she pulled free the headset and set it on the table. "I think we better clean you up... bad night?" She went to the cupboard to pull out the box she used for first aid supplies.

"Feh... fucking dogs," he crouched on the floor.

"Use a chair, I can't reach you down there... what dogs?"

"I really can't stand that stench, Miranda... where are my fucking cigarettes?"

"On top of the fridge, where they always are... you are in a foul mood tonight..."

Kouga rose and looking up, reached for the pack of Marlboro reds, then sauntered to the candelabra and lit one off one of the flames. The only reason he smoked them was to mask the strange and usually unsavory odors in Miranda's house.

"The Goddess doesn't like that, you know..." she commented offhandedly as she moved in closer to examine the damage. "This one on your neck... no dog did this, this look like a whip mark."

"So the dog had a whip... he also had a gun..." he glared at her. "You didn't tell me about the competition I would be encountering, Miranda..." he grabbed the hand that was gingerly tracing the area around his neck wound. "Why is that?"

Miranda knew this temper, she refused to cower to him. Matching his glare with her own intensity, she grimaced at the pressure on her wrist.

"I have held nothing back from you, Kouga... you know the readings aren't exact. I have told you that from the beginning. Let go, please, you are scratching me... you really should get a manicure,"and she yanked her arm back from his grasp.

"You foretold the return of the Priestess... and the ancient Jewel... we learned of a girl, she has the same name as the Priestess... She has power too, I have been told."

"So find her, and you will most likely find your Jewel," she cast off glibly, as she opened her box to pull out disinfectant wipes. "Strange that she would have the same name, but it just makes it easier for you, don't you think?"

Kouga tossed the cigarette into the unused fireplace, and went to sit in one of the chairs by the table. As she gently wiped at his neck and then at his arm, as he considered the 'easier' part of her comment.

"What do you know about a Seth Inudono?" he asked, eyes narrowing on her.

"Triple D Enterprises? He's a recluse, very few have ever actually seen him," she looked up into his eyes, which glowed with the candle light. "I don't know him, personally. I have invested in some stocks in one of two of his subsidiary companies. Decent return, too... why do you ask?" and she returned to her ministrations.

"He's the dog... and I want him dead."

"What in the world are you talking about? You sound like you are delirious." She backed up to peer at the strange man that she thought she had come to know. "Kouga, the man _shits money_, his security has got to be better than the White House. What's this grudge you have with him?"

"He is the competition... he's made moves..."

"That's ludicrous... what use could he possibly have with this rock you are looking for?"

"Miranda..." he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, a hollowness in his eyes. "The son-of-a-bitch murdered Ayame."

She dropped the little disinfectant towel onto the table, her jaw slack as she stared at him in disbelief. This situation was growing to proportions that she was unsure she knew how to deal with.

"When?"

"Last weekend, while I was... overseas," he snarled. He hadn't told anyone where he was going, or why... and for good reasons.

Miranda's hand shook as she reached for the pack of cigarettes, drawing one out, then reaching up to light it off a flame on the candelabra.

"Thought the Goddess didn't like that..." Kouga muttered.

"She'll get over it..." Miranda responded, her face pinched against the smoke.

"How?" she asked simply.

"By his own hand. Or maybe teeth would be a better description..." his voice was raspy.

"Why didn't I see it? Surely something this final would show it's self... what do you mean... teeth?" her eyes widened, as she visualized horror movie attacks, werewolves and vampires... cat-people... and suddenly an ancient David Bowie song began running in her head. "Putting out the Fire with Gasoline..." she mumbled.

"What the fuck are you talking about, witch?" demanded Kouga, who had watched her eyes shift as her fear spiked... to be quashed by something else... _what was that?_

"Its the title of an old song... an old saying... gasoline is combustible, and when dumped on a fire, doesn't smother it, but fuels it. You said he used his _teeth?_" her expression was incredulous. "That's a bit over the top... what kind of monster is this guy?"

"The worst kind... the kind with money, power and..." he hesitated, "... some kind of god complex... and the scariest part is... he actually _believes_ he's right," he sighed.

"What did the police say? Surely he left some kind of evidence... or do you think he can buy himself out of trouble with the law?" she made a face at the cigarette, and rose to dowse it at the faucet.

"No police... she's gone, I know who did it... there is nothing they can do."

"So now you are going to take it upon yourself to avenge her... against Inudono? Do you really think that is wise? He really sounds like a lunatic..." she trailed off, shaking her head, as she tossed the waterlogged butt into the trash.

"You don't know the half of it... he's looking for the Priestess too. But I don't think for the same reasons."

"So he isn't after the Jewel? Do you think he even knows about the Jewel? Does the same fate wait for the Priestess as your Ayame met?" Her barrage of questions were like hammers on his soul, as Kouga raised his hand to ward them off. Returning to her seat, she ceased the questioning as she took his hand in both of her own, blinking back reactive tears.

"Can I stay here tonight? I really don't want to be alone right now," the mournful look in his eyes pulled at her heart even more.

"Sure Kouga, but I think you should have that arm looked at... want me to run you to the ER?" she grimaced at the open wound on his arm.

"Just wrap it tight, Miranda... it'll be fine by morning," he reached over to the box and pulled out a roll of gauze and handed it to her.

"Have I told you lately how strange you are?" she asked as she began winding the gauze around his forearm.

"Not for at least a couple of weeks..."

"That long? I must be slacking..." their eyes locked as she smoothed the dressing.

"Or maybe... you are growing accustomed to my ways..." his smile was grim.

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	23. Chapter Twenty Two

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Twenty Two

"Something is wrong," muttered Michael as he paced back and forth on the front porch of Ouna's residence, stopping periodically with hands in his pockets to peer down the road as though by his will alone he could make Sally's car appear. "It's not like her to be so late. Her shift ended at four . . . she should have been here more than an hour ago."

"Relax Mikey, Sally's an expert driver," assured Kagome as she released the moth she had just healed for the second time. "This is so cool!" She watched the insect fly directly into the porch light and begin bouncing off of it again. He cast a glance at the moth, then at her and rolled his eyes. Witnessing his less than enthusiastic reaction, she sighed. "She said she was going by my place, right? She'll be here soon." She idly fingered Jewel as she watched him resume his pacing.

Shippou had left shortly after the incident in the courtyard. He had seemed agitated, and had taken her mother aside to speak privately about something. Whatever it had been about, it had left Ouna in her own state of disquiet which she had unsuccessfully tried to cover with a cheerful discussion about options for the evening meal.

Taki had seemed like a new person after having his knee healed. Kagome knew the man to be nearing his middle sixties, but after the powerful intervention he seemed much younger. More than just an injured knee had been healed. What the argument with Shippou had been about seemed to have been forgotten by both parties after that. Kagome couldn't help but wonder what it was that Shippou had told her mother, and why had it left her so disturbed. One thing was certain, she knew it had something to do with her, and she didn't like that at all. He had hugged her tightly before going, telling her to practice her _archery_, of all things. _I haven't used a bow since the fifth grade . . . why would he tell me to start now?_

Michael stopped his pacing. As he crossed one arm over his chest, he stretched one long fingered hand across his lowered forehead and rubbed both temples simultaneously. With a frustrated grunt, he dragged the hair tie out of his long black hair, and shook it out vigorously before rubbing fingers through it, massaging his scalp. Kagome couldn't remember ever having seen him so agitated. Michael had always been one of the most easy going people she had ever known. _Why is everyone so uptight? Am I just having an empathic response . . . or is something really wrong here?_

"Do you have a headache Mikey?" she rose from the step where she had been sitting to reach out to him, pausing to suppress a giggle at his wild appearance after mussing his hair. "All you need now are hairy knuckles, and you would make a great cave man . . ." she grinned. He crossed his arms, leaning slightly to one side, arching a brow at her. "C'mere . . ". she beckoned, as she approached to gently turn him so she could access his taught shoulders with nimble fingers.

"God that feels good . . ." he moaned, his knees dipping slightly as she pushed her thumbs into the muscle, and he twisted his neck to look at her hand on his shoulder, "What . . . no pink junk? Wow, I'm impressed."

"Hey, I know a little bit about massage without having to rely on the 'pink junk'," she scowled. "Is it really that bad? I mean . . . do you see the power as a bad thing?"

"Bad? No Kagome, it's a blessing . . . just like Shippou said . . ." he paused.

"Why do I hear a 'but'?" she stopped her ministrations, twisting around him to lock onto his the depths of his dark eyes.

"There's no 'but' . . ." and he sighed. "Ok . . . so maybe a little of the 'sour grapes' syndrome." He turned and smoothed his expression, "You have an amazing ability, Kagome . . . and I'm proud of how you are handling it."

"So do you! Kami, Mikey! You stopped Shippou dead in his tracks . . . you made him _bounce _off of that ward! You heard what he said . . . Miroku was a powerful monk, and it's obviously carried over . . ." Kagome realized suddenly that she had grabbed both of his arms in her exuberance and was very nearly shaking him. She blushed and let go, backing away a step.

"No you don't," he reached out and pulled her in for a warm embrace. "You can't try to shake sense into my thick skull without giving me a hug afterwards . . . that's the rules."

"The rules, huh?" as he was nearly a head taller, her ear was on his chest as her arms encircled his waist and she could hear his heartbeat while he kissed the top of her head. "Mikey, do you remember anything? About . . . before?" she raised her eyes to meet his.

"I think Shippou was right . . ." There was a look in his eyes she had never seen before, "he said we were _all _in love with you . . . I have no doubt in the truth of that." There was a longing in his expression, and it pulled at her uncomfortably. She had to look away. Michael shouldn't be looking at _her_ like that.

"What do you think happened to the hanyou?" her ear was again against his chest and she gazed off into the night.

"Honestly?" he sighed. "Your guess is as good as mine . . ." he pulled back to look into her liquid blue eyes, "had it been me . . . I would have followed you post haste into the afterlife."

Kagome's breath caught. There were entirely too many levels of 'wrong' in the way he was looking at her. It crossed her mind that it had to be because he was missing Selene, and she quickly changed the direction of their discussion.

"But you had Sally . . . what did he say her name was?" at this prompting his attention moved to the road again, and Kagome suppressed a sigh of relief. That had just been . . . scary.

"He said her name was Sango, and . . . she was an exterminator." His brow furrowed. "It stands to reason that she has some innate powers too. The thing that has me concerned is, why all of this is manifesting _now. _ Why not five years ago? Do you remember when we first met?"

"Of course I do," Kagome smiled at the memory. "I was fresh out of high school, and trying to find my way around the campus. I was so lost . . ."

"And you had your head stuck in that map of the campus and ran headlong into me in the hallway of the Psych building," he finished.

"mmhmm, and when you were helping me pick up my books your hand . . ." Kagome blushed, as she felt a familiar albeit unwelcome warmth on her left buttock. Smacking Michael on the shoulder she moved away from him with a glare. Lecherous jerk. And she had gotten close enough to let him do it!

"My hand had a mind of it's own . . . some things just don't change . . ." and he smirked as he rubbed at his shoulder. "It's a curse, I tell ya . . . a curse!"

"I'll show you cursed!" She shook her fist at him. "Your woman will be here soon, and _she _can deal with your stupid cursed hand . . ." she folded her arms in a huff. "Oh . . . look . . ." her eyes fell on the moth, laying still on the boards of the porch. She bent to carefully pick it up.

"You know, that's really kind of sick, Kagome . . . repeatedly healing that stupid bug," Michael criticized as he focused once again on the road. "You are just prolonging the inevitable."

"Yeah, well . . . I guess it stops here," she muttered as she frowned at the frozen form in her hands. "I suppose it would be asking too much to be able to raise the dead, huh?"

At that, he studied her with a look of amazement, as she held the deceased insect in her delicate hand.

"You should be careful for what you wish for, little one," Ouna commented, standing just inside the wood framed screen door. "Any new ability brings more responsibility. I think you have enough on your shoulders as it is, don't you?" Ancient spring hinges wheezed as she opened the door to join them.

"That's what has me worried . . . why is all this is happening now, Ouna? Anything else that you haven't told us?" The look on Michael's face was on the border of accusatory. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Kagome's attention shifted back and forth between the two, wondering if perhaps she may have missed something.

"Momma," she ventured, "What did Shippou say to you just before he left? I know it was something that bothered you, I could see it in your eyes." She approached her mother, placing her hand on her shoulder, examining the expression on her mother's face. _She's really worried..._

"Well . . ." Ouna looked out into the night, dark with the early waxing of the moon. "Basically he reprimanded me for not telling you about the well." She looked at her daughter, wary of how she would react.

"What well, Ouna?" queried Michael.

"The Bone Eater's Well . . ." she sighed. "It's an ancient well, housed deep in the basement of one of the storage buildings at the shrine. I knew about it, because Shippou showed it to me when we first met."

"O-Okay . . . and?" Kagome prompted, seeing the reluctance in her mother's eyes. Ouna pulled a stool up and sat down, with an air of resignation.

"Kagome, did you ever wonder how it was that no one ever saw the hanyou before Aunt Kagome did? I mean no one ever noticed anything strange about Goshinboku, other than it's age and size. . . yet that's where she found him? And he had been there for 50 years."

Kagome peered at her mother, as she thought about the questions. This must be one of those things that didn't add up.

"What are you trying to say, Momma?" she pressed, emotionally bracing herself for whatever it might be.

"It wasn't so much _where _Aunt Kagome hunted for the shards, little one . . ." and she took a deep breath watching her daughter's reaction. "It was _when_."

"Wait a minute..." Michael held up his hands, "Your Great Aunt was born in the middle 1970's . . . so it stands to reason that she began her adventure around 1990. Did the hanyou just appear one day on the Sacred Tree?"

"No Michael, she found him on the tree, certainly . . . but not in 1990. It was probably closer to 1490, at least from what we have been able to deduce."

"The ancient Miko garb . . ." mused Kagome. "Of course! That's why in the pictures of her with Great Grandfather Souta she wore those traditional clothes . . . but . . . oh now I am confused. There weren't cameras back then!"

"No, no, no, no, little one . . ." Ouna reached up to touch her daughter's arm. "The well was her gateway back and forth."

"OK... now we're crossing into science fiction here," and Michael waved his hands in the air in exasperation. "So what is it? Fantasy, full of demons and magic? Or sci-fi with time travel through mysterious hidden portals?"

"It can't be categorized like that, Mikey . . . i t's not a story! Not anymore . . . Don't you get it? This stuff really happened! It's happening NOW! Or how else would you explain Shippou, or what happened in the courtyard? Or Taki's knee? Or . . . or . . . or that stupid _moth_?" Kagome was near tears, as she motioned toward where she had left the insect laying on the edge of the porch.

"Michael, fix your hair... Selene is coming..." Ouna cast aside calmly, as she took Kagome into her arms. "Unless you want her to believe that you have left off personal grooming this last week..."

"What? Oh, _hell_," and he began to drag his fingers through the tangles while attempting to bring some sense of order to his world. Muttering more to himself than the two women, "I can buy the supernatural, I've always believed there was more to the world than meets the eye . . . religion has documented instances of miracles for centuries, prayer meeting healing, stigmata . . . even if it seems more to do with the ability of the human brain to bring about changes . . . cases of close connections between people," he paused to wrap the tie at the base of his neck, then began pacing with his mutterings, "telepathic and empathic responses, dream communications . . ." he held up each hand alternately as though weighing sides to his internal argument, "even magical creatures, which have been a staple throughout history, perpetuating mythos, usually with concentration on moral instruction . . ."

"I am beginning to think the analyst is in need of analysis . . ." Ouna whispered to her daughter, who's tears had become soft giggles.

"...but I will be _damned _if I can find a justification or rationalization in belief in a time traveling teenager..." and he looked over at the two of them gaping, "Who tries to save the world!" At this point both hands were up, in more of a shrug than in a balance to the weight of his arguments. "What's so damn funny?"

Sally's car pulled into the driveway, wild guitar riffs blaring then sudden silence as she killed the engine. She jumped out dragging a six pack of beer with her.

"I am here! And I brought beer!" she announced as she trotted up the steps to grab Michael into a vice grip.

"You're a poet, my dear Selene . . . how on Earth did you know how _badly _I need a drink right now?" he returned her hug with equal enthusiasm, "Gods how I have missed you," he whispered into her ear, accenting it with a deep kiss.

"If you don't need a drink now, you will when I get through," she broke her hold on him and turned to Kagome. "I have some really bad news, 'Gome . . ." and she pulled out a long neck and handed it to her closest friend.

Ouna frowned as she watched her daughter take the offered bottle.

Kagome collapsed cross legged on the porch, looking absently at the bottle she was holding. Sally crouched on her haunches in front of her, elbows on her knees holding an open bottle with a question furrowing her brow.

"Has anyone made any threats against you recently?" she asked, in her best big sister tone.

Kagome blinked, then examined her friend. _What a strange question . . ._

"May I have permission to run away screaming now?" pleaded Michael as he twisted the cap off of one of the beers, tipping it to pull a long swallow.

"Not advisable Michael . . . you know what's out there," warned Ouna.

"No problem! I'll just toss ofuda at the boogie men as I go . . ." he waved his hand as though throwing his slips of paper, then he shook his head tipping the bottle upside down again and turning away.

"What are you talking about?" demanded the detective, twisting to glare at her fiancée.

"Don't ask," whispered Kagome. "What's happened Selene?"

"Your apartment was ransacked . . . no . . . wait . . . that's not entirely accurate," and she looked down at her feet.

"Ransacked? You mean someone broke in?" Kagome asked with disbelief..

"That's an understatement . . . ' Gome . . . the door was splintered and off the hinges," she trailed off, finally taking a drink from her own bottle.

"And so it has begun . . ." Ouna frowned even deeper.

"Are you kidding? It began last Saturday . . . I would definitely say its already _'in progress'._" Michael drained the bottle and placing it back in the carton reached immediately for another.

"What are you talking about, monk?" Sally demanded, peering at him. Michael leaned on one hip as he twisted the cap off the bottle.

He nodded to Kagome with a grim expression. "Show her..." he said.

"Show me what? What is going on?" Sally stared at Kagome with her brow furrowed.

Kagome blinked, appearing a little shell shocked as she reached for the leather strap that held the Jewel. Pulling it out from under her blouse she held it dangling in front of her for Sally to see. Even though partially obscured inside the makeshift cradle that Michael had fashioned, it shone brightly, reflecting in Sally's dark brown eyes.

"Holy Mother of . . ." the detective was completely awed as she leaned slightly from one side to the other examining the orb. "What is that thing?"

"It's the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls," Michael informed her. "And now that she has it, apparently a big fat can of worms has been opened up."

"So it's not just a myth . . . How in the world did you get the Sacred Jewel, 'Gome?" The detective's gaze was locked on the Jewel.

"I guess . . ." Kagome faltered. "I guess because it's mine. Something to do with my fate." She sounded resigned.

"Tell her the rest, Kagome." Michael's voice had softened as he watched his best friend's expression turn grim. "She should hear it from you..."

"OK, so 'Gome has the Jewel now, what's the big deal? I mean . . ." and Sally thought for a moment. "It's not like she has to go hunting for pieces of it, right? It looks intact to me."

"That makes it all the more _precious _. . . and _dangerous_," Ouna supplied. "She's right, it's her fate . . . it's always been her fate."

"Sally, there is so much to tell you, I honestly don't know where to start," Kagome whispered, shaking her head. "Let me ask you a question."

"Okay, ask away," she prompted, lowering herself to also sit cross legged across from her friend.

"Have you ever felt like . . . like . . . we've met before? I mean when we first got to know one another. . ." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched Sally consider the question.

"Sure," came the hesitant answer, "I did kind of . . . and when you introduced me to Michael I really felt it strongly then . . . it was kind of scary at first."

"There's a reason for that," Michael moved to them and lowered himself behind her wrapping his arms around her. "That dream you had . . . wasn't a dream, honey."

She twisted around to look into his warm brown eyes, full of sincerity. Her own eyes were full of horror at the memory of the dream, which she had only just him told about, though it had been recurring for weeks.

"Wasps don't get that big," she stated flatly, turning back around to look at Kagome. "And the wind doesn't blow that hard, not around here."

"I thought you had wards up in your apartment, little one . . . " her mother interrupted. "you said you did when we talked on the phone."

"I did Momma . . . but I had to break the ones on the door when I left . . . I guess I didn't do it right," she looked down at the bottle in her hands again.

"Wards?" Sally asked. "What is she talking about?"

"These . . ." and Michael pulled out one of the sutra and handed it around to her. "They are protection against youkai."

"Youkai? You mean like the demons in the stories?" she queried, reaching out to take the slip of rice paper and examining it. "I saw some like this, on the windows and around the door frame . . . Oh surely you don't think that demons are chasing you, Kagome!" Michael tightened his arms around her.

"How bad is the apartment, Sally? I mean . . . really?" She looked into the detective's eyes.

"It's bad . . . really bad . . ." a ghost of fear fleeted across the detective's features, as she pressed her her cheek against her fiancées encircling arm, eying the kanji on the paper.

"Kami . . ." Kagome finally twisted at the cap to open the bottle, smelling the contents. She wrinkled her nose before taking a deep swallow. "Then I guess it's time to go home," she frowned.

"One more day, little one . . . give me one more day with you." Her mother asked. "It sounds like it isn't going to get any worse than it is, and I need to explain some more things about your power." She brightened, "And Selene can enjoy the spa and relax for a little bit!" She nodded to Sally, then more seriously to her daughter, "It's safer here, at least for now."

"You can't go home, 'Gome . . ." Sally hesitated. "There's not much left to go home _to_."

Kagome nodded sadly, acknowledging the seriousness of what she would find on her return. Sally reached over, placing her hand on Kagome's arm.

"You're coming home with me. I've got plenty of room, and you can stay as long as you need to . . . till you get everything figured out," She announced. "And . . ." she looked at Ouna, "She'll be safe with me. After all, all that training I've gone through has got to come in handy for something besides just busting bad guys, right?"

A wolf howled in the distance, and Kagome shivered.

_ooO0Ooo_


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Twenty Three

"Hold your arm out, son... don't slouch!" Laura swatted InuYasha between the shoulder blades, illiciting a murderous glare from the hanyou.

"Feh! Why do I have to have this stupid suit, anyway?" He grouched, folding his arms across his chest. The petite woman snapped the measuring tape down, and faced the hanyou squarely, lowering her glasses to peer over them into his golden glower. He sneezed in her face, in reaction to her perfume, which gave her a start.

"Don't pout..." her composure was regained swiftly, "you can't run around in jeans and moccasins all the time," she wiped the back of her hand across the dampness on her cheek.

"I don't pout, wench!" his hands on his hips, he leaned toward her threateningly, sniffing loudly.

"Could have fooled me," she rolled her eyes, pushing her glasses back up on her nose and slipping her chalk pencil between her teeth, she slurred, "Now raith your arm... pleath," and she smiled around the pencil, batting her eyelashes.

"Keh!" and he complied, rigidly extending his arm. "And for your information, I am probably twice your age, so _don't_ fuckin' call me _son_!"

"Too bad you don't act like it," she muttered under her breath, as she hunkered down to measure his inseam.

"I fuckin' heard that, wench! Dog ears, remember? HEY!" he reacted to the sharp jab in his groin as his tailor pressed in for an accurate measurement.

"Almost done... _InuYasha_," she spoke his name pointedly.

"About damn time," he grumbled. "I still don't see why the hells I need this stupid suit..."

"It's a tuxedo... and a perfect color for you, if I do say so myself," she corrected him, holding up a swatch of the midnight blue fabric next to his face. "It really sets off your eyes. Oh! And I have nice headpiece that matches..." and she reached over for what in all appearances was a do-wrap like motorcyclists would wear.

InuYasha frowned at it, judging that it would probably constrict his ears as uncomfortably as those nasty ball caps did. Between that and the hard looking shoes she insisted that he wear with the tuxedo, he was certain he was going to be miserable. He sneezed again, rubbing the back of his hand across his nose. Her perfume was making him miserable enough.

"I don't get why I have to have all this shit..." he growled.

"Because, halfbreed... you cannot wear western attire to the opera," Sesshoumaru stood just inside the door to the study.

"When did you get here, Jackass?" growled the hanyou, having missed his brother's appearance between the arguing and sneezing.

"About the time you were declaring your advanced age, I believe," he raised a brow. "I have need to speak with you. When you are finished here, get your hinezumi and sword, and meet me in the dojo." With that, he left without another word.

"What the hells is the opera?" he demanded from the space that his brother had just vacated.

"Trust me dog boy, it's a big deal... and you need to dress appropriately for it." Laura was gathering the pieces of the fabric on her arm. "I'll have this ready by this evening for a final fitting. Right now I believe you have an appointment." She looked over her glasses at the hanyou, with a raised brow.

"Dog boy, huh? I guess I had that coming..." he mumbled.

"Yeah... I love you too." She set the pile on her arm down across the back of a chair. "Now get the hell out of here before I start playing with your ears..." she grinned wickedly holding up her hands and rubbing her fingers together, which was all the prompting he needed to bolt out of the study, followed by the peal of her laughter.

"That bitch is pure assed evil," he muttered shaking his head, as he stomped down the hallway toward his quarters. It seemed a little odd that Sesshoumaru required him to wear his hinezumi, but he wouldn't complain. It was familiar and comfortable, and he would wear it all the time if he could. _But Tetsusaiga... wonder what he's got in mind._

He found Sesshoumaru in the dojo, gliding through forms with Tensaiga. Even one handed, his movements were poetry in motion, and InuYasha was transfixed as he stood quietly by the doorway, not wanting to interrupt. He didn't have long to wait, as his brother was aware of his presence immediately. Bringing his sword to his brow as though in reverence, the Demon brought his routine to a close.

"You wanted to talk..." the hanyou broke the silence.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru grunted as he sheathed his sword, then lowered himself to the floor where he stood, motioning for InuYasha to join him. "You were rather harsh with Laura," he observed.

"She was being annoying... and that damn, stupid perfume was giving me a headache," InuYasha grumbled as he sat in front of his brother, straight backed with his arms folded in his haori sleeves.

"She didn't deserve that kind of treatment, halfbreed... she was only following my directive," admonished the elder brother.

"Yeah, well... it's over..." the hanyou dismissed the issue, "She loves me, regardless."

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow.

"She said so, anyway..." InuYasha moved to change the subject, "So what's with this opera shit?"

"Ah, yes," and the Demon settled in for the discussion he had originally intended to have with his brother. "Tomorrow night is the opening night for 'Don Giovanni', and this Sesshoumaru would wish to attend ... to introduce you to a classic human art form, as well as some aspects of the modern culture."

"Maybe _this InuYasha_ could care less about classic art, _or_ modern culture," the hanyou clipped the last words crisply, glaring at the Demon.

"Let me guess..." Sesshoumaru pondered, "You would perhaps prefer a... Rodeo?"

InuYasha blanked for a moment as he reached in his memory for the definition of the word... _ah yes, the taming of wild livestock from their backs... that could be interesting..._

"It would be a helluva lot more exciting, I bet..." somehow he doubted this was a realistic alternative to the torture his brother had in mind. "You really do hate me don't you..." and he grimaced.

"I do not hate you, but the fact remains that it is not rodeo season. It _is_, however Opera Season," Sesshoumaru stated logically, his expression bland. "Perhaps we can negotiate a compromise."

"Will I still have to go to that stupid opera thing?"

"Yes, halfbreed..." The Demon's tone was firm. "However, afterward we can do something of your choosing."

This brought InuYasha to pause, considering just what he might want to do. He looked at his brother with serious intensity.

"There are two things... _only_ two things that I _really_ want to do," he leaned forward for emphasis. "Find Kagome and kill that fucking wolf, Kouga... can we do either of those tomorrow? I mean, after the opera of course."

Sesshoumaru blinked.

"You have time to consider a more... realistic activity," the Demon pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket, "in the meantime, we need to discuss your modern American identity."

"My what?" the hanyou was incredulous.

"I have all the paperwork in order, all we need now is your name."

"My name is InuYasha... what the hells are you talking about?"

"As far as the world at large is concerned... InuYasha _died_ 500 years ago. I have a modern identity, which I use in my business dealings. You need one too, halfbreed." Sesshoumaru looked at Tetsusaiga on InuYasha's hip, and inwardly thanked any deities who might be listening. He did not want a repeat of what had happened on the plane, and Tetsusaiga tempered the hanyou's demon aura most effectively. "I am going to assume that as we are brothers, we will share the same surname. What I need from you is agreement on your given name, so that you can have access to your birthright."

InuYasha blinked.

"Tetsusaiga is my birthright, Jackass," he touched the hilt of his sword.

"InuYasha... half of everything this Sesshoumaru owns is yours," his voice was low and gentle.

InuYasha pondered this for a moment, then rose gruffly.

"No..." he began to pace. "I earned nothing of what you have. I did nothing to accumulate it..."

"Your sentiments are most admirable, but the fact remains that it is indeed yours, by virtue of who you are. You are the second born son of the InuTaisho of the Western Lands. It is all part of the family legacy," he pressed his point. "It is yours and that, halfbreed, is not negotiable. However what you shall be called _is_."

InuYasha stopped pacing to face his brother.

"Alright, Jackass... so what are _you_ called?" he demanded. "Everyone I have seen calls you by your name... Sesshoumaru."

"Those are all trusted retainers. Out there," and the Demon motioned out the door generally, "I am known as Seth Inudono. You also shall be known by the surname Inudono."

InuYasha gaped at his brother, then blinked again.

"Mister Dog?" he asked incredulously. "Are you serious? So where did the Seth come from?"

"It's of Hebrew origin... it means 'appointed one'. Appropriate since I have been the one to keep things running for the last 500 years, don't you think?" there was a sparkle in his eye, as he held out the paper he had been holding. InuYasha took it and read over a list of optional 'given names'.

"Not like you ever wanted my help... HEY! What the hells is wrong with my own damn name? I like it... I've had it a really long time..."

"Other than blatantly proclaiming your demon nature? Nothing..."

"Hn," the hanyou grunted, as he continued to peruse the list. "So... how long do I have to decide?" he asked.

"Not long... I needed to know yesterday..." came the response.

"I wanna go over these with Clint and Thomas," he announced. "Can you keep that stinky bitch, Laura away?" it was nearly a whine, as he rubbed at his nose, heading toward the door.

"I will do my best, but no promises..." the Demon smirked at his brother's back.

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Later that day, Sesshoumaru showed InuYasha the press release he had prepared for the morning papers.

_Triple D Enterprises magnate, Seth Inudono has announced that the search for his missing brother is now at an end. 25 year old Caleb Inudono was found last week in a shelter in Tokyo Japan, after an extensive 5 year search, The younger Inudono, apparently having suffered from amnesia, is now recuperating at the family estate in Marin Co. _

"Amnesia? What the fuck is that?" demanded the hanyou.

"Loss of memory... what better reason for you to have been missing all that time?" explained the Demon with a bland expression. "It also will explain any future baka behavior, should the need arise."

"Fuck, Sesshoumaru... you just think of everything, don't you?" InuYasha snarled.

"I try to," and he grinned.

"Oh great..." and InuYasha sneezed loudly. "Guess who..."

"There you are! I have been looking all over for you two!" Laura swished into the room, holding a suit bag over her shoulder. "Ready for your final fitting? You are going to love this Sesshoumaru... he cleans up real nice!" And she grinned.

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	25. Chapter Twenty Four

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

WARNING: This chapter contains LEMON ( though I tried to tone it down according to policy)

Finding Kagome

Chapter Twenty Four

The room hadn't been used for months, not since her cousin from the city had spent a weekend back in the fall. Miranda stood quietly in the open doorway of her spare bedroom, watching her strange guest sleeping. He had simply collapsed on top of the bed, not even bothering to pull down the spread. Her need to comfort him had been so strong, yet she simply could not bring herself go beyond an offer shelter and conversation. He was an angry being, this Kouga. There was a hint of unspoken power about him, something she just couldn't quite put her finger on, and an unpredictability that both frightened and excited her.

It had been the strange woman, Ayame, who had originally sought her out, saying that word of mouth had drawn her to interest in a psychic consultation. Her concern for her husband's restlessness in recent months led her finally to ask for the reading. She brought with her something which she said was a personal item of her husband's, it looked like a headband of some unidentifiable pelt, which had put Miranda off at first. Being vegan and never wearing or using animal products, she hadn't wanted to touch the thing. But, lacking anything else, it had been the focal point for the initial spread that she had done.

_Could I have saved Ayame if I had done the spread for her instead? Perhaps warned her, made her aware of an impending danger... I did what I was paid to do... but it wasn't nearly enough, not enough to save her... what else have I missed... what awaits dear Kouga... and can I warn him in time?_

Lost in her ruminations and self recriminations, she had not noticed the electric blue gaze which had locked on her. He moved to his side and she was brought back to the moment with a hesitation in her heartbeat as their eyes met. Who was this strange creature, really?

"You're awake..." she observed vaguely, trapped momentarily in his eyes. "Want some coffee or something?" She swallowed, then blinked. He hadn't moved, and as he lay there with one arm tucked under his head watching her, she realized just what a work of art he really was. The angry wound on his neck had become nothing more than a thin red line. "You're going to make me nervous if you keep that up..." she shifted uneasily beneath his intense scrutiny.

"It wasn't your fault, Miranda," his words where low. "Stop beating yourself up." He raised a hand in invitation to her.

"I can make you breakfast, I have grapefruit and..." she motioned lamely toward the kitchen but her evasion wasn't working as he lowered his chin and raised a brow, then beckoned to her with his outstretched hand. It was the same arm she had wrapped the night before, and curiosity about how the injury was doing pulled her closer, he had said it would be fine by morning.

"I promise, I won't bite..." he whispered as he took her hand and pulled her to sit beside him on the bed. She laughed nervously, reaching to touch the bandage on his arm.

"Can I look? Does it still hurt?" she asked. He sniffed, and rolled to his back looking at the gauze.

"It didn't hurt much to begin with. One of the stupid mongrel's tricks. I shouldn't have let it get to me," he held his arm for her to remove the bandage.

"Mongrel... you mean Inudono?" She picked at the tape with her nails, gingerly trying to loosen it.

"Here... don't waste your time..." he raised his arm, using a claw from his other hand he neatly sliced through the gauze to reveal a slight pinking in a line no more than half of an inch wide down the center of where the wound had been. "It was his half brother... I thought he was dead... but apparently not."

Gaping at the spot that had been an open gash on Kouga's forearm the night before, her brow furrowed, and she peered into his eyes. _No one heals that fast._ _Who is this guy? _She reached out to touch his ear, shaped so unusually. _Just like elves... one of the Fae folk..._

"What are you doing?" he demanded as he grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from the intimate gesture. _She has no idea what she does to me... what effect she has..._

"You aren't telling me everything, are you Kouga..." she blinked at the claws on his hand, really seeing them for the first time. "How is it you heal overnight? I know I am missing something here. Your wife is murdered... and you don't want to bring in the authorities? You fight with wealthy recluses who use whips for weapons?"

"Don't forget the gun, the fucker had a gun, too," he added with a snarl.

"Is that how he killed Ayame? With a gun?" she demanded. "You said he used his _teeth!_" She became agitated, backing away from him. "I remember your saying that last night... _teeth_! _What the hell is going on_?"

Kouga pulled her close, drawing her to his side in an effort to calm her. She pulled away, but he persisted against her struggle until finally, she was laying on the bed with her back curled against him, his arms enveloping her tightly, his legs trapping her. Her heart fluttered like a bird's wings, and he sniffed at her hair. Pressing close to her ear, his voice was no more than breath.

"You're right, Miranda... theres a lot you don't know," his breath was warm on her neck, his hold on her unwavering.

He considered what to tell her... how to not completely alienate her. _I need her... _

"You are going to tell me that you aren't... normal, " she rasped, eyes narrowed as she wriggled in his grasp.

"I am youkai," he stated flatly, allowing her a moment to absorb the information. "Youkai are not... human."

"Right... Ok... " she renewed her struggle against his hold. "So your an alien ..." she fought against his hold, twisting her shoulders and yanking her legs in futility, little squeaks erupting from her throat.

"Not an alien, Miranda... " his voice raised over her struggle, as he easily controlled her. "More like..." his ability to resist tasting the pulse point on her neck failed, and she gasped before growing still, "more like... a god."

"No... I don't believe this..." she shook her head, her dark auburn hair falling across the delicate features of her face.

"My kind have been here since the beginning of time... just... hidden. It wasn't always that way... once we were free... once, long ago, we ruled everything... my kind was... worshiped."

"And Ayame, she... she was too?" she was near whining, giving up on her struggle.

"Yes." he affirmed, sniffing deeply at her hair. Her scent was the essence of femininity underneath the tang of her fear, and he found it heady. He had wanted her so long, but she had been forbidden to him.

Her mind raced. So, perhaps the odd dress wasn't some kind of punk lifestyle, maybe those elven ears were real after all. His visits were always late in the night, perhaps to avoid detection? So many thoughts whirled in her confused mind. And here he was licking her, like she was some kind of strange candy..._ he promised he wouldn't bite..._

"I need you, Miranda..." his voice returning to the warm breath in her ear, as he tested loosening his arms' grip on the now still woman. "The balance is off... Youkai should never have to hide themselves."

He rose over her, pushing her gently onto her back, dominating her as her arms crossed against her chest defensively. There was a defiant look in her eyes that surprised him, dared him... and it heated his blood as he locked them into his electric gaze.

"Wh...What do you... want from me... if you're some kind... some kind... of god..." she stammered, "Then _you_ fix it... I'm just a card reader..."

"You know the ways of this place," he reached slowly for her crossed arms and gently pulled them away from her chest. "You will be my guide... my counsel."

"It's the Jewel... you need that Jewel... for what?" her fear began to waver as her curiosity began to override her instinct to simply run from him.

"It's an ancient artifact," and he nodded. "It has great power..." he slowly traced her jawline with the tip of his nose, breathing in her scent. "With that one, small thing... my people would be free again." He pressed his cheek against hers. "You Americans... you pride yourselves on having a free country," he rose just enough to meet her eyes, which had softened with his attentions. Gently brushing her errant tresses from her face, "yet my people live in the shadows... is that _right_?"

She slowly shook her head, her mind spinning. The feel of him, his strength... the gentle, tenderness of his little caresses brought a flush to her face. It had been too long since she felt such tenderness. Surely what he was asking was not unreasonable... or beyond her abilities.

"Join me..." he whispered, "The rewards are beyond _anything_ you could imagine." He rested his head against her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck. "I will make you a respected member of my tribe... The Ookami-tribe... the _ruling _tribe..." he promised, tilting his head to meet her eyes.

"Become a member of your tribe?" She shook her head, "I don't want to go anywhere, Kouga...I like my life here just fine..." her brow furrowed. "Can't I just help you?"

"To become Ookami is protection for _you_, Miranda... against anything or _anyone_ who might _ever _wish you harm." He touched his nose to hers. "You don't have to go anywhere... but if you need me, I will always come to you..."

"Why do I get this nagging feeling..." her voice was becoming husky, "that you are trying to seduce me?"

"Maybe..." and his lips barely brushed against hers, "... because I am."

He pressed his lips against hers, and she instinctively reached to grab the back of his neck, drawing the kiss deeper. It was like a dream, some wild fantasy. She had admired this wild creature for months, joking, teasing. All the while wishing to find someone like him, someone to make her own. Nothing in her personal meditations had forewarned her about this moment, where the passion between them had so quickly become a tangible thing. She parted her lips allowing him access to the intimacy of her tongue, while he slowly, drawing up the hem of her caftan, slipped his leg between her creamy thighs to press against her, running his hand along her side feeling the warmth of her soft curves.

Miranda's hands dragged along his arms, relishing the feel of his skin, of the sheer strength that radiated from the muscle beneath. Brushing against the leather of his garments, a vague thought floated in about the fact that he was wearing animal skins... then became lost in the sensation of what was underneath those pelts, her hand traveling to his shoulders and back. The scent of his closeness was as untamed as his heart, that of pine needles and earth, all overridden by the strong musk of his masculinity.

"I could definitely get used to this..." she murmured before he chuckled and kissed her again, their tongues fighting for dominance.

_Mark her as pack... Gods... she's burning me... _

_Must find the miko... gain the jewel... _

_Then kill Sesshoumaru... in that order... _

_Who would have believed... this is incredible..._

His mind was a blur of plans, and the delicious sensations of the moment interrupting them. Kouga had never been with a human before. Only once had he tried, and failed to win the heart one of her kind. His hands ran over her hips, noting the exquisite way that the bone protruded slightly on the sides of her concave abdomen, her moans luring him into an altered state as he tasted the skin of her neck, the heat of her pulse.

He slowly worked his way down from her neck to her shoulder, noting the spot above her collarbone where the mark would be placed. The alliance would be set, and his goals would be achieved. _I want to possess her... but I must take the miko to get the Jewel..._

Moving down her silken body, he nuzzled against her drawing a nearly feral sound from her... a demanding sound as she pushed against his thigh, her voice calling to him.

She slipped her thumb under his headband, and pulled at the leather thong that held his mane at bay. It pooled around them both as he worked his way down to her tender belly. She dug her fingers into the thickness of his hair and her demands became whimpers pleading to him for more. She lifted up her knees, drawing him to the flower of her passion, luring him with her arousal, intoxicating him with her scent.

His mouth reached her most secret place, and as he explored her, he could vaguely hear her calling his name. He felt her dragging at his clothes and realized how badly he wanted to feel her skin against his own. He tugged at his garb, all the while lapping at her and teasing her. Once free of the restraints, he could feel her reaching, pulling... demanding.

The throbbing in his loins became more urgent, and he slowly climbed the length of her, dragging his tongue along her salty sweetness, before fully covering her with his form. Her sea green eyes had sharpened to emerald, the lids half closed with her own intoxication, and their lips met again, tongues dancing. Her hands traced his sides, lightly brushing her nails on his skin, her legs wrapped his waist in a passionate embrace, as they each relishing the pure sensation of skin on skin.

"I want you..." her voice was a husky whisper. "Kouga... please..." he nipped at her neck, pressing his hardness against her, slowly entering the slickness of her, pushing deeply to hold her tight and just _feel her. _ "Oh GOD!" she moaned as she convulsed against his hardness.

He shuddered with his need, his fight to control, as he felt her intense pleasure pull at him. _Will she agree to a second? I must have her... no time to consider... must... have... her... now... she's mine... _He pulled back slowly, he could feel her trembling as he traced her collarbone with his tongue. Pushing deeply again, her breath quickened and his name was on her lips. He didn't hold this time, but again pulled back and pushed and her hips began to grind into him in response. A low growl began to emanate from his chest, as their rhythm increased, their breath became ragged. _The miko be damned..._

"Mmmine..." he groaned, his nips becoming harder on her neck and shoulders, his thrusts increasing.

"Yours...?" she panted, enjoying the intensity of his love bites, she lifted her chin to give him better access to her neck and throat, not realizing that this was an act of complete submission.

"You... are... MINE!" he growled with each stroke, wrapping one hand around the back of her head, fisting her hair. There was an urgency to his demand that she, too could feel. The near violence of his grip brought her a thrill like she had never before experienced.

"GOD... yes... Kouga!" She panted as he began to drive into her, "Make... me... yours!" grabbing his powerful backside with her hands, she dug her nails in deeply, a subconscious effort to hold on to the moment. "Don't ever... stop..." she panted, nearly a whisper in his ear, drawing her tongue across his ear, where her hand had earlier been forbidden.

The ache and the fire became more than he could stand, as he felt her tense beneath him. His grasp on her hair tightened, his hand pressed forcefully against her back as he immobilized her. With a great roar, he found his release, his fangs buried deeply into her shoulder, as he fiercely consummated their union.

There were no words beyond that, none were possible as each of them were beyond rational comprehension. Kouga stirred slowly and gently lapped at his mark, his power drained, he lay draped over her, as their breathing slowly returned to normal.

Miranda, eyes closed, stroked his back and arms, ran her fingers through his hair and slowly began to wonder what all of it meant. He was different, something about him yanked at her very soul. She found herself questioning her beliefs in the arms of this wild creature. Opening her eyes, she felt a twinge and glanced down at her shoulder. Not being able to see the source of her concern, she reached a hand up to trace two prominent puncture marks. _What the hell?_

"Hey!" She bucked underneath him to get his attention. He stirred and looked dreamily into her eyes, which were still bright emerald, and it made him smile.

"mmhmm?" he murmured and nuzzled at her jaw with his nose.

"You broke your promise..." her tone brought his full attention, and he gazed again at her eyes with a furrow on his brow. She seemed upset.

_Why would she be angry? I've just given her... everything... all that I am..._

"I don't understand..." he mumbled, as he pulled from her to roll beside her and draw her into his arms. A tear slipped down her cheek as her hand ran across the mark he had just given her.

"You promised..." she sniffed, "that you wouldn't bite..."

"Oh," his eyes widened slightly, as he reached to pull her hair from her shoulder so he could better see, and smiled. "You... are mine now, Miranda." He lapped at his mark, then nuzzled at her neck.

"A member of your tribe?" her confusion was palpable. _All that to join his tribe? Is that all it was to him?_

He chuckled, pulling her head to his shoulder. He drew in a deep breath, pulling at her scent. There were subtle changes, beyond the familiarity of his own.

"Among other things, yes..." his finger crooked under her chin, directing her to face him and look into his eyes. "You need to start eating better."

"What has that got to do with anything?" she demanded, fire in her glare. "My diet is my own concern, Kouga..."

"Not anymore, wench..." he smiled. "It has everything to do... with the health of our cubs." He snuggled closer, to be pushed away by her arm against his chest. His eyes widened with confused shock as his jaw went slack with unspoken protest.

"Cubs?" she demanded.

"You're my mate..." he offered, grasping for a better human term, "my wife, now... It stands to reason that we will have offspring... and sooner than later." He reached for her, then hesitated.

"What?" she brought a hand to her forehead. "You wanted me to join your pack... you didn't ask me marry you..."

"You agreed," he reminded her, slipping his arm around her shoulders. "You told me... to make you mine."

"So you bit me?" She glared at him. But his eyes were so sincere, with a trace of... _was that hurt?_ It made her heart ache to see him hurt. "That was the throes of passion, Kouga..." she tried to explain, "I hardly_ know_ you! I mean I really do care about you, and I want to help you of course..."

"Don't you see, Miranda?" he interrupted her rambling. "You... who have learned so many of my ways in the past few months... can't you see that I wanted this... how badly I want _you_?"

"Ayame hasn't been dead a week, and now you want _me_? Isn't that just a little... soon?" she shook her head, remembering the sultry woman and how devoted to her husband she had been.

"Let me explain something to you," he drew her close, tracing circles on her cheek with the pads of his fingers. "I took Ayame as mate because it was expected of me. Back then, someone else had won my heart, but would not give me hers. Ayame came from another tribe, and our_ arranged_ union brought peace and strength to both tribes. She never truly had my heart, Miranda. Her death was a shock," and he looked away, anger brushing his features.. "And I am held by duty to avenge her... and I will. But... until I found you, my heart had been as dead as the woman who had stolen it, a very long time ago."

"She was so devoted to you... Ayame loved you more than anything in this world, I could see that..." she looked down at her hand, which had traveled to his arm. "Isn't this a betrayal of some kind? She was my client... but _you_ had become my friend."

"What's with this 'had' shit?" he raised her chin to look at him. "I better still be... or we are in some real trouble, my mate." His eyes sparkled, and he kissed the tip of her nose. "There is no betrayal... Life is for the living."

"Give me some time to get used to the idea..." she asked softly. "I kinda thought if I ever did find a suitable partner, we would do something more traditional, like... get married... or something..." and she trailed off.

"I want you to be happy, Miranda... I want you to feel as right about this as I do," he leaned in to nuzzle his mark, and noticed the bruising around it, and the little bruises blooming along her neck.

"Fuck, I've hurt you... no wonder you've got doubts." He backed away to look at her nude form, noting a number of scratches and more bruising along her arms and torso. He turned her so he could see her back, and found five perfect claw marks where he had punctured her skin while marking her. Reaching over to pick up his tossed headband, he slipped it onto her head.

"That's a dead animal skin," she grimaced, reaching to remove it. He staid her hand, pulling it instead to his lips for a kiss.

"You wouldn't want the live one on your head, trust me... the pelt will help," he smoothed her hair. "It has properties..." at her dubious look, his eyes sharpened, "just wear the damn thing, you'll heal faster."

She cowed slightly at the command, her eyes widened as her heart quickened.

_He really does want me... he really does care..._

"Now lets feed you, you are going to need your strength," and he rose to gather his clothing.

_I could so definitely get used to this..._ she thought wistfully.

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A/N : Sorry for the lateness of the update, the next couple of chapters will probably help you make more sense of this. Trust me, it isn't quite as out of the blue as it may seem...


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Chapter Twenty Five

There was definitely trouble in paradise.

Miranda grimaced as she looked around at the mess Kouga had made of her kitchen, searching for what he called 'proper victuals'.

He had rummaged and slammed around every cupboard, the refrigerator, and even the microwave had suffered abuse in his rampage, all the while cursing and accusing her of believing herself to be some kind of fowl or rodent.

She thought he knew she was vegan, she had certainly told him so... perhaps he hadn't understood exactly what that meant.

She sighed as she reached for a broom to sweep up the lentils he had dumped unceremoniously onto the floor, just before that freaky punk Ginta had shown up on her back porch. She had seen him before a couple of times, but he had never entered her home, and she hadn't wanted him to. There was just something off about him, with his Mohawk hair style and weird, twitchy, subservient attitude.

But then again, there was something off about Kouga too. Just Kouga hadn't put _her_ off. No, he had intrigued her from the start. _I wonder if that Ginta is a... what did he call it? Youkai... wonder if he is one of them, too._

_Men... you can't live with 'em and you can't shoot 'em..._ she mused. Not that she would ever use a firearm, but she liked the saying. It reminded her why she had chosen to stay single. Well, at least before now.

Men were fickle creatures.

Like the way Kouga had just taken off so quickly after talking to Ginta. Hardly a word, just a head back in the door with an order for her to eat something, and then gone in a flash.

Ginta had looked at her strangely, too. A air of shock in his tweaker eyes... _and what was up with that weird little bow before dashing off after Kouga?_ She shook her head.

Biting at her still slightly swollen lower lip, she set the broom aside and went to shut each of the cupboard doors, reaching to grab a half-empty bag of rice cakes.

Wondering how her fruit bin had fared with the Ookami's thrashing of her refrigerator, she opened the door to pull out her pitcher of apple juice.

Frowning, she noticing the holes neatly punched by Kouga's claws in the plastic bottle of pomegranate juice. It had spilled all over the floor of the refrigerator, still dripping maliciously from the metal grate.

She sighed, opening up the drawers to find it pooled on the bottom around her fruit.

Shutting the door, she thought about how she really should make _him_ clean it up, since _he_ made the mess. But no, he's run off leaving her the mess. _MEN!_

Pouring her juice into a small glass, she shuffled with it to the table where she sat, pulling open the newspaper she had retrieved during Kouga's rant.

She refused to let him get to her.

She'd clean it up in a little while.

Same news different day... more Redwood Mangler reports. It had been a few days since the last attack, this one seemed exceptionally gruesome, near the Lake County Line. They seemed to be moving south.

She frowned, suddenly feeling very alone. Looking out the window at the surf crashing on the beach, not really seeing it as she wondered where Kouga had run off to. _Damn him._

She shook herself. Being alone never bothered her before, why should it now? She was having trouble ignoring that knot that was forming in her stomach and had been ever since he left. _He'll be back, if for nothing else to retrieve this stupid headband..._

She reached for the band, to pull it off, then hesitated. _What if what he said is true? _She gingerly ran fingers along her abused neck, noticing that it was much less tender than it had been just a short time ago, and decided it wouldn't hurt to keep the thing on a little while longer.

Returning to the paper, she decided to read something on a lighter note, focusing on an article about the gala planned for the opening of the new production of 'Don Giovanni' at the opera house. They were calling in extra police to patrol the area for the event, there was something about the city council's refusal to increase the law enforcement budget to the requested amount. _So much for lighter..._

She wondered how that was affecting her cousin. She had heard that she had been promoted, so she would probably not be involved with opening night, though knowing Selene she might just volunteer. _Wait... Selene has a friend that's into Japanese history, mythology stuff. _

The knot in her gut grew tighter. Her world had begun careening out of balance, and she was at a loss as to what to do to stop it. _I haven't talked to her in while, maybe she can give me a reality check..._

Of all the people in Miranda's life, Selene was the most realistic. She had a no nonsense way about her that made law enforcement a perfect career choice for her. Not that she was always serious, far from it... but if anyone could put Miranda back on track, it would be Selene.

She reached for the phone, and pressed the numbers for her cousin's cell phone. It rang several times and just as she was expecting it to kick over to voice mail, there came a whispered answer.

"Rodriguez"

"Selene? Did I catch you at a bad time?" she must be with Michael. _I suppose it's still early for _some _people... _she mused.

"Hey Randy! How's the crystal ball business?" her tone still hushed, Miranda heard her moving around, then a door close.

"Other than feeling like a vampire? I'm getting tired of the night work... can you tell?" she grinned.

"I know what you mean, I hated night shift... oh!" her voice rose to normal conversation level, "did you hear about my promotion?"

"Yeah, I did... way to go!"

"So, what's up cuz?"

Miranda hesitated, it was a basic question. Simple really. She didn't want to sound like a total idiot. She doubted that was possible.

"I wanted to ask you something..." she began. "Your friend... the one that introduced you to what's his name..."

This was a running theme with them, ever since Miranda's first meeting with the man, who knew nothing about her profession. He had made an offhanded comment about people seeking psychics instead of professional therapy, which most of them _really _needed, rather than bogus fortune tellers.

"Oh no you don't!" Sally laughed on the other end. "His name is Michael _and you know it!_"

"Right... well, your friend... the teacher, didn't you tell me she was into Japanese mythology and stuff?"

"Yeah, she is. Why do you ask?" Was that a guarded sound coming from her?

"I was wondering, has she ever talked about any kind of..." how to word this, "I dunno... supernatural beings?"

Her query was met with silence. She decided to try a different angle.

"There's this guy..." she realised her error before she finished her sentence, but it was too late. "He's really special to me, Sally."

"What has that got to do with supernatural beings?"

"Well... he seems to be kind of an expert... and I just wanted to check out some of the stuff he has said."

"What kind of ... stuff... has he said?" her cousin asked. Yes it definitely was a guarded tone.

_Why do I get the feeling I just stepped on a hornets nest? _She took a breath, not realizing that she had been holding it.

"He told me about a kind of... being... called youkai. He told me they are like gods, that long ago they were worshiped... but now they have to hide to survive." There, it was out. She worried for a moment about having worded it exactly the way she had, as she waited for Selene to respond.

"Gods, huh?" came the reply, finally.

"That's the word he used... so... you're a cop, have you ever encountered anyone that seemed... I dunno... a little odd?"

"I work in San Francisco, for crying out loud..." Selene chuckled. "What does that tell you?"

"Touche... ok, so has your friend ever said anything about it?"

There was another moment of silence. Miranda began to rethink her decision to make the call in the first place..

"I mean legends... myths about them..." she explained.

"Sure," Selene replied, then added, "She's from a long line of practitioners."

"Oh, really..." a small light was dawning on Miranda.

"Yeah, she's put together a thing for the cultural fair in a few weeks, a story told in her family about the Shikon no Tama, a magical jewel." _BINGO_... thought Miranda.

"Hm... he talked about a jewel too..." _could it be the same one? oh that would be too easy..._

"Well, there are a million stories out there about ancient, sacred, magical artifacts... Seems to keep Hollywood busy, anyway..." she chuckled again, then she took a deathly serious tone. "Her's is just one, but Miranda... in her story the youkai are not gods... they are known as _demons_."

Selene's revelation cut her to the quick. Demon equals evil. _Kouga is not evil... _

"Huh?" she asked stupidly, her tone did nothing to disguise her shock.

"You heard me... whoever this guy is, just... be careful..." her warning was low, and serious as a train wreck. Miranda was frozen for a moment, uncertain about how to proceed. _Kouga is not evil!_

"It's a little late for that..." she reached up and touched the headband, her fingers then drifting to his mark. As she touched it, she felt a warm sense of reassurance.

"What do you mean?" Selene's voice was bordering on sharp.

"He... he spent the night with me..." she stammered. "Well, more like morning, but I guess you get the idea..."

"Is this Miranda Rodriguez? She doesn't sleep around..." _here comes the reality check, about time!_ But she wasn't so sure she wanted it, after all.

"I know... I told you, there's something special about him." She touched his mark again, and the knot that had been plaguing her began to recede. "I think he's the one, Sally..."

Her cousin was silent on the other end. Miranda knew there were things she wasn't being told, but she didn't know how to ask. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. _Kouga is not evil!_

"It sounds like you have already decided about him." Selene's tone sounded resigned, and concerned all at once. "Do we get to meet him?"

"I would like that," Miranda said hopefully. Even if it did mean that headshrinker boyfriend of Selene's would have to be involved. "What are you doing Saturday night?"

"Making a trip out to your beach house I think...oh! Wait... can Kagome come along?"

"Kagome..."

"She's had a rough week, and I don't want to leave her alone. And who knows, maybe she and your boyfriend can debate the divinity of youkai or lack of it, and compare stories about magical gems."

This was going to be very interesting, provided she could get Kouga to stay around long enough. And maybe the headshrinker would butt out if the two of them got to talking about supernatural and superstitious folklore. That would be very interesting indeed.

"It sounds like a date then, what time should we expect you?"

"Let me get back to you, I need to confirm with Mikey and 'Gome," why did Selene sound worried?

"Okay, well leave a message on my voice mail if I am not around, I might go shopping... or something," she looked at the rice cakes in front of her and frowned. "Hey! Weather permitting we can do a bonfire, like the old days... why don't you bring that old acoustic of yours?"

"I can do that, you supplying the tequila?" her cousin countered.

"I can do that... just... no naked dancing this time, agreed?" Miranda chuckled. Tequila and bonfires had inspired some interesting behavior when they were younger.

"Only if you promise to keep the gas can AWAY from the fire..." Selene warned.

"Oh ouch... you KNOW I didn't do that on purpose..." It had been a wonder how no one had been seriously injured when it caught fire. It had been open, so it hadn't exploded, thank the stars. "Okay it's a deal... no gas cans at all."

"Miranda..." Selene pulled her back to the present. "What ever you do, just know I love you. I really do want you to be happy."

"Thanks," she was caught off guard. "Let me know what time."

"Will do."

She pressed the end call button and returned the phone to it's charger. Kagome, huh?

This should be a very interesting weekend.

She took another bite of the bland rice cake, and had the thought that this must be what eating cardboard was like. _Where did that come from? Must be stale..._

Chewing, she bit her tongue. Once she got past the pain and the metallic taste of her own blood in her mouth, she ran her tongue along her tooth line to discover that something very subtle had changed.

She ran to the bathroom to look into the mirror, sticking out her tongue first to examine the damage, a very neat puncture mark just to the side of the tip.

Turning and lifting her hair, she found the bruising was only light yellow swatches now, she also discovered that the tops of her ears had changed, no longer exactly... round.

That emerald shimmer in her eyes seemed to have become permanent.

She raised her upper lip in a grimace into the glass and found that her eye teeth had... elongated. She had _fangs_.

_Well I'll be damned... I can bite him back now!_

She stood there grinning at the thought, while examining her reflection.

Her overall appearance had not really changed, but the subtle changes that had, indeed, occurred lent her an almost feline appearance.

_All this from a love bite?_

She wondered what else she might have to look forward to, and her smile slipped as she realized that everything had changed, now.

Everything.

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	27. Chapter Twenty Six

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Chapter Twenty Six

Meanwhile back at the retreat...

"Okay, that was just a little weird," Sally commented as she walked into the kitchen.

Kagome was transferring her energy into a kitchen knife, leaving it with a soft pink glow sitting on the table.

"What do you think?" she asked her friend.

"What is it for?" Sally examined the knife as it lay there, like one would look upon an uninvited scorpion in their cereal bowl.

"Momma says it's a defense. I can send energy through a projectile, and slow down or even stop demons. Aunt Kagome could kill them with her arrows, that's what Shippou was talking about when he told me to practice my archery," she frowned at the knife. "I don't like the idea of killing anyone. Especially after getting to know Shippou..."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Selene tried to smile reassuringly, but failed.

"What's wrong, Sally?" Kagome turned to give her friend her full attention, eyes full of concern.

"I just talked to my cousin on the phone, she wants us to come out to her beach house on Saturday... she wants to introduce us to her new boyfriend," she went to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup, then leaned back against the counter.

"You don't sound very happy about this," observed Kagome.

"She was asking questions about youkai... they didn't sound very hypothetical either," she took a sip of the coffee, her brow knit.

"There you are! You abandoned me..." Michael pouted, before pulling Selene in for a warm embrace. "Who was that on the phone?"

"I was _trying _to not wake you up!" she protested, setting her cup down before he spilled it for her. "It was Miranda, she wants us to come out Saturday. She has a new boyfriend she wants to show off, who claims to be an authority on youkai. Something doesn't feel right about it to me."

"We're going, right?" Michael looked at Kagome then back to Selene for agreement.

"You two don't really get along that well, are you sure you want to?" Selene asked worriedly.

"It was a silly misunderstanding, I never meant to insult her..." he held his hands out in a pleading fashion.

"You insulted her cousin?" Kagome's lopsided grin suggested disbelief, though she knew only too well how brazen he was capable of being.

"I made an offhanded comment about her profession, not realizing what it is she does... that's all... I apologized!" Selene had him fixed with one of 'those' looks, which included a quirked brow.

"Oh Okay, so you didn't make a pass at her..." Kagome sounded relieved.

"Kagome..." Michael's gaze had moved on to the table knife. "Why are you putting the pink junk all over the silverware?"

"I'm practicing..."

"Just thought I would ask..." He watched her suffuse another knife with her energy. "Kagome..."

"Mmhmm?"

"What are you practicing?" this was not the same thing as the moth.

"Just the transfer... don't worry, the knives wont get up and walk away..." she commented offhandedly as she concentrated on yet another knife.

"Okay... I was wondering about that..." he looked pleadingly at Selene. "Do you see what I have been dealing with?"

"Hey, you have your own tricks... _Monk_!" Kagome shot back at him.

"Now _she's _calling you Monk, huh?" Selene watched Kagome for a moment.

"That's who he was... it makes sense now why you call him that... more than ever," Kagome stopped, and blinked at her friends. "And you... were the exterminator. And you were good at it, Sally. The best."

"The only one missing is the hanyou, and we would have the full team back..." Michael sighed, "But for what purpose, none of us has a clue..."

The mention of the hanyou brought Kagome to pause. _The well. Maybe I could find him._

"Something is brewing, Michael... I have felt it for some time now, but it's getting worse, stronger," Ouna entered the room, eying the three of them. "Selene doesn't remember... while the two of you seem to remember more and more each day. That has me concerned."

"We had the benefit of meeting Shippou... maybe that's the difference," suggested Michael.

"Or what she needs to remember is too much for her..." Ouna pondered this.

"I will be honest, this whole demon's chasing us thing kind of bothers me," Sally interjected. "First of all, I always thought of them as fables... like faeries and dragons..."

"And you don't believe in either of those, do you Selene?" Ouna was very serious.

"Shippou would change her mind..." Kagome grinned. "He even looks like fae folk, at least in his human form."

"Human form?" Selene glanced around at them. "He has another?"

"He's kitsune youkai, his true form is like an overgrown fox," Michael grinned remembering the kitsune's head butting against the wards Ouna had placed.

"So I wonder what Miranda's boyfriend is..." Sally muttered.

The other three in the room froze in their places and looked at her.

"Well, even when all of this was just stories, we always knew youkai were demon's right?" she asked.

All three nodded.

"He told her youkai are gods, and were worshiped once upon a time..." She looked at each of them in turn. "Doesn't that suggest something to _you_?"

"This does not bode well," Ouna's expression was grim.

"Ditto..." Michael muttered.

"Don't be so glum! We should give this guy the benefit of a doubt... he's probably just a mythology buff..." Kagome's cheerful tone was like a brass bell in funeral parlor. "Even if he is youkai, look at Shippou! He's great!"

"He was also reared by a human, Kagome... we know nothing at all about his person that Miranda is with," Michael was determined to break past her Pollyanna attitude.

"Even so, if he chooses to be with her, and she wants that too, who are we to get in the way?" Kagome was determined to remain cheerful.

"It's probably nothing, just the way she talked about youkai... It sounded like she really believes that they exist and have somehow been wronged," Selene picked up her coffee, and took a sip.

"Okay, so we go to see Miranda, prepared for what ever might happen... good or bad,' Michael compromised. "Kagome, you practice your defensive pink junk, I'll stock up on my paper junk, and Selene..." he looked at his fiancée drawing a blank. She didn't have that giant boomerang thing anymore. Even if she did, he doubted she would know how to use it.

"She asked me to bring my guitar... I guess I can provide the background music while you two... colorize and paper machet him?" she smirked. "That is... if it turns out he's a bad guy..."

Ouna shook her head. Sally really... just didn't understand. And that distant look in her daughter's eyes told her Kagome was plotting something. She had a feeling she knew what it was.

She motioned to Michael to follow her, as Bo entered the room with Sally's Shamisen, fully repaired to the young woman's delight.

"I don't believe it!" she quickly tuned the strings. "You are a miracle worker, Bo... I thought it was a lost cause."

This made the big man blush.

"My Papa had me workin' on instruments when I was just little," he offered, which was a rarity.

"How can I ever repay you?" she looked at the neck, where not a sign remained of the abuse it had taken.

The man looked down, still blushing. "It's payment enough to see you smile, Miss Selene..."

Michael caught this as he followed Ouna out of the room, a quirky grin on his face.

"I think he's sweet on my girl!" he told her, twisting backward a bit to catch one last glimpse of the scene.

"I don't believe you have any competition, Michael," she replied, guiding him into her office then closing the door.

"This must be serious... usually you share everything openly, what's going on?" he sat in an offered chair.

"I believe that Kagome is going try to do something stupid, thinking that it is the right thing to do... and I want you to stop her," her tone was blunt.

"Kagome and stupid are two words that should _never _be in the same sentence... ever," he frowned at her. "What is it that you think she is going to try to do?"

"It's the reason I didn't speak of the well before... I think she is going to try to use it... to find InuYasha."

Michael stared at her, dumbfounded.

"No one knows what happened to him. They were inseparable for the better part of her lifetime... it stands to reason that she will try to find him." Ouna sat in her own chair behind her desk.

"That would require a trip to Tokyo, she can't be away from her work that long..." he considered the ramifications of an extended absence from her job. "What are the chances that she _could_ find him... if she were to go?"

"Slim and none... Shippou told me that he disappeared. No trace. He spent many years trying to find him, Michael... he felt that he owed him after years of his protection. He found... nothing. His assumption is that InuYasha died, or was killed. The person that she is looking for can't possibly exist."

Michael thought on that for a few silent moments.

"So, you want me to keep her from running off to Tokyo, is that it?" he demanded. "She's a grown woman, and can do what she wants, how do you expect me to stop her?"

"She respects you." Ouna peered at him. "She can't leave... not when the clear and present danger is right here in our own backyard."

"You mean the attacks... the break in..." he considered what she had said. "What you are saying is we need her here... her power... the jewel..."

"Precisely. What ever is _going _to happen, is going to _happen here_... not in Tokyo, it is going to _happen now_, not in some distant past. I wish I could tell you more than that, I only know as much as I have shared with you." Her eyes held a sadness that he had never seen before on that face. "I am asking you to interfere in her search for her heart's desire... I only wish it didn't have to be that way."

"Ouna, Kagome deserves to be happy. I have a friend I've been wanting to introduce her to that I think could really make her happy. She doesn't like the idea at all..." he raised his hand to his chin.

"Don't ask her permission... she will never consent," she warned him. "Just make it happen, get them to meet... perhaps it will dissuade her from a fool's errand."

"I will see what I can do," he promised.

"The sooner, the better, Mikey... I see it on her face, and I don't know how quickly she will try to make that trip. We can't lose her... if she jumps... Kami only knows what she will find... It's possible she won't make it back."

The thought stunned him.

A soft knock came at the door, and Kagome entered without invitation.

"What are you two conspiring about?" she grinned at them, not fully registering their expressions. "Momma, where did you put that old bow of mine? I can't find it..."

"In the attic, little one. You will need to buy new arrows I'm afraid," Ouna rose to follow her daughter, the discussion with Michael was concluded.

"Oh, Okay... Sally says we should go soon if she's going to help with the apartment. She said she is going to help out tomorrow with security at the Opera House. They just called her. OH Mikey, did you leave your cell at home?"

Hearing his name Michael snapped out of his thoughts.

"Um... yeah, I did... why?"

"Sally says that someone from the University has left messages on _her _voice mail, looking for you," she informed him.

He shuddered. He had hoped to avoid his adviser for just a few more days.

"I know what it's about... I'll deal with it when we get back, it's not as urgent as all that." It was a small lie, but a lie nonetheless and he felt badly about it.

And Kagome knew, because he had not, _could not _looked at her when he said it.

He could feel her eyes on the back of his head. It would be the first of a procession of guilts...

0'0'0'0'0'0''0'0'0'0'0'0'0''0'

A/N: I truly hoping that this helps bring it all together a bit more, I had it in the works but not honed enough to post... I realize that I left folks scratching their heads.

Thank you for the reviews, it means a lot to know someone is till following along, and to answer previous questions, yes 'they' will be meeting soon. ;)

Until next time!

Metsuki


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Chapter Twenty Seven

The ride back to the city was longer than the ride _from _the city had been, or at least so it seemed to Kagome, since she made the trip alone this time. Well, as alone as one could be, being followed.

Michael hadn't cared for the idea, but Sally had insisted that he ride with her, promising they would caravan and keep a close watch on Kagome's car.

Both of them had become increasingly more protective and she was not so sure she liked that.

Not with her new goal.

She spent most of the trip honing the plans for it.

The phone call to make the reservation was going to be tricky. Especially if the both of them were breathing down her neck all the time. However. . . she had to do this, she had to know.

_Could InuYasha be waiting on just the other side of that well?_

She glanced over at the old fiberglass bow that she had left propped against the passenger seat.

_Arrows. . . Need lots and lots of arrows. . ._

Going to Tokyo so suddenly was definitely out of character for her. She was not the most spontaneous person, and everyone who knew her, knew that about her. The last time she went, she had planned for two years.

She debated requesting a leave of absence with the school district. _Only three more months until school is out for summer, but can I wait that long?_

She felt a sense of urgency that she couldn't explain.

A gnawing deep in her psyche, on many levels.

First and foremost, she was convinced that InuYasha was not dead. If he was, then why did she feel a sense of him so overwhelmingly? It certainly was no ghost haunting her dreams, and no ghost that was watching over her protectively during her meditations.

_Why do I feel him so strongly?_

She considered that it was perhaps wishful thinking. She had felt her loneliness more acutely in recent years, her jokes about finding her "Knight in Shining Armor" were becoming old, even to her.

If her search for InuYasha were to be unsuccessful, perhaps she would feel free enough to look for someone. . . to share her life with. Someone. . . else.

Maybe she could finally _grow up_.

She knew that was how her mother saw it.

A refusal to be realistic.

_She only wants grandchildren. . . _

_and I would like to give her some. . . _

_someday._

Kagome's students had become her children by proxy. She grew attached to them, and was so very pleased when they would come to her looking for guidance. Some, having moved on to the next grade, had come back to see her. She loved watching them grow, and felt a sense of pride at their accomplishments.

_Someday I will have my own. . ._

Her mind's eye flashed on Connor with those big green eyes, wondering about her relationship with Michael. Those eyes. . . so very much like his grandfather's.

Their time with Shippou had been too short. She had been too shocked. . . too confused to ask the right questions. Other than the fact that InuYasha had not 'used' the Jewel, she knew almost nothing else. Only the legend, and what she felt in her dreams.

_Is it enough? Enough to find him?_

She unconsciously grasped the Jewel, feeling its power in her hand. That was the second thing gnawing at her psyche. What purpose did it serve? It strengthened powers she already possessed, but to what end? Was it fate?

In its appearance she had found something she hadn't realized was lost.

She had found herself.

She could feel the strength from inside herself, strength in knowing her power, strength in knowing her. . . past.

_So what if it isn't this lifetime, I know who I am now. I don't remember everything, but I remember. . . enough._

_Enough._

_Enough for what?_

"Enough to purify the youkai _bastards_ that screwed up my place. . ." she hissed, suddenly shocked by the vehemence in the tone of her own voice. _Wait and see how bad it really is. . ._

_ooOO00OOoo_

Sally and Michael waited for her at the car rental dealership, as she finalized the transaction. The final total was what settled her mind on whether or not to wait the three months, and use her Summer vacation for the trip to Tokyo.

On seeing her frown as she exited the dealership, Michael got out of the car.

"Bad, huh?" he asked with a worried look, opening her door.

"It's ok. I'm glad I had a little nest egg," and she made an effort to smile, not quite succeeding as she climbed into Sally's back seat.

"Well, think of it this way, 'Gome. . . You get to save it back up while you stay with me!" Sally interjected cheerfully, starting the engine and the expected high decibel assault of her music simultaneously.

"I'm going to be deaf by the time I'm 30," Michael shouted back to Kagome, as they peeled out and into traffic.

"I'll buy you a case of ear plugs for your birthday!" Kagome shouted back, with a smirk.

Conversation was impossible, as they drove to Kagome's apartment. That was fine with her, as she considered her financial situation, and the impact the round trip plane ticket was going to have.

The hanyou was going to have to wait a little while. She hoped beyond hope that he would.

_ooOO00OOoo_

As Sally pulled up in front of the converted Victorian that Kagome had called home for the last four years, Kagome had a quick intake of breath as she saw the broken window.

Turning off the engine, Sally paused a moment, before turning back to her, with a grim expression.

"It's bad, I told you that. . . brace yourself, ok honey?" and she exited the car.

Kagome pulled out her keys, and Sally just looked at them and shook her head.

"You won't need those," she informed her grimly, before leading them across the street. "The door was demolished."

"My stuff. . ." was all Kagome could say, and she felt that familiar creeping along her spine as they entered the building.

Glancing around for any youkai, or _anyone strange _for that matter, she found nothing.

"You can make a list of anything that is missing, 'Gome. . . I'll turn it in for you," Selene told her as they climbed the stairs, she knew Kagome was going to flip over those pictures.

"Oh.. . Kami!" Kagome gasped walking up to the door, running her hand along the splintered frame. She knew it was bad, she hadn't been prepared for. . . _this_.

Kagome entered what had formerly been her living room, her heart in her throat. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she wandered from room to room, picking up this item, or that, all the while feeling that familiar edginess that indicated a demonic presence.

"They dumped my food out?" she shrieked from the kitchen, before spying her first aide kit in the middle of the floor. Picking it up she wondered why food was dumped but the kit appeared intact.

Michael also wandered through the apartment, amazed at the sheer brutality it had taken for this much damage to be done. He shuddered to think of it happening while Kagome was home and alone.

"Kagome," he found her picking at the mass of shredded clothing on the bedroom floor. "You're not going to come back here." It was a statement, uttered in a low but commanding tone.

It was a tone she could not remember ever having heard come from Michael before.

She gave him a shell shocked look, then bent to pick up two empty frames near her dresser.

Glancing around for anything near that might have been pieces of what had been the contents of those frames, she found nothing and that made no sense.

"Where. . ." she continued to look, tossing around the torn bits of cloth that had been her underwear and night clothes, ". . . where are my pictures?"

"Kagome, did you have anything of value that might have been stolen?" Selene joined them in the tiny bedroom. "Any jewelry, or money stashed somewhere?"

"No. . ." She stopped picking. "Just sentimental stuff. . . like my pictures." She frowned at the empty frames, her eyes brimming. She had copies of them in her room at home, but why would someone take them? _There's no sign of either of those two being torn up. . . _

"Can you think of anyone that would be angry enough to do something like this?" Selene asked her. "Someone that might have an interest in your pictures?" she nodded toward the empty frames.

Kagome took a deep breath.

The destruction was complete.

And demons were involved.

"No. . . I'm gonna need garbage bags. And a new broom, the bastards broke my broom handle," she looked pointedly at her friends. "Spackle too, for the holes in the wall. . . The sooner this is over with, the better."

"I'll go get some supplies, make that list 'Gome." Selene turned to go out the door. "I'll be right back." She was off and down the stairs.

"Murder is on my mind, Mr. Andrews," she growled, looking at Michael with her arms stiff at her side, hands in fists. "Whoever the HELL did this. . . is DEAD!"

"Your anger is understandable, _Miss Higurashi_," he put his hands on her shoulders, locking her eyes in his own, expression grim. "Just promise me. . . you won't try anything _alone_, that's all I ask."

"I don't understand, Mikey! Why did they single _me_ out?" Her tears finally found their way down her cheeks, and Michael pulled her to him.

"I don't know, honey. . ." he held her while she sobbed, his own expression one of indignant rage, before softening as he tried to comfort her.

_Time to let go. . . everything is different now._

He let her mourn the loss of. . . _what? Normal? Everything we had grown comfortable with? _

It had taken the loss of everything she owned to finally break through that Pollyanna attitude.

She was stronger than he had ever given her credit for, and now she was sobbing in his arms.

And for once in his life, he was unable to think of anything intelligent to say.

Nothing that could comfort her.

So he just held her, stroking her hair.

After a time, the sobs turned into sniffles and hiccups. She pulled back and as their eyes locked he was taken aback with the lost look in her eyes. He had never seen that look before. . . _not on this face, not in this lifetime. _

"Ready to scrub the youki outta this place? It stinks. . ." he said, wondering where _that term _had come from.

"You sound like InuYasha," the lost look was fading, and was gradually being replaced with a look of determination. "That's what he called it. . . stink." A hint of a smile. A deep breath.

Where ever the term came from, it had worked, and for that he was grateful.

"I'll start in the kitchen," and she turned to leave, then stopped without turning around, her shoulders squared.

"Don't worry, Monk. You can come with me when I hunt the bastards down that did this. . . and purify 'em," and she was out the door.

Michael stood there for a moment, transfixed on the spot where she had been standing. Kagome was changing, too.

His need to protect her was as great as his need to breath. His greatest fear was that she would foolishly take action on her own.

And he wondered if she meant what she said.

Because he had not seen her eyes when she said it.

0'0'0'0'0'0''0'0'0'0'0'0'0''0'

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! They are the "pick me up" I need keep working on this project.

It seems that the possibilities as to where this can go branch off like tributaries to a stream, and I find myself needing to explore where they go, hence every so often there is a delay in my posts, and for that I apologize. . . Just want it all to be consistent. Once it is complete I will be revising previous chapters as much for my bogus spelling errors as anything. I've learned a lot, and I know I will be learning more. . . thank you all so much for taking the ride with me!

But. . . it's far from over. . .

Until next time!

Metsuki


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Twenty Eight

"Caleb..." Sesshoumaru stood at the doorway of InuYasha's quarters, holding a thin folder in his hand. "Caleb..." he sighed at the lack of response, slipping the folder into the breast pocket of his white wool overcoat, then watched the valet fuss over imaginary lint on InuYasha's midnight blue tuxedo, as the hanyou peered at his reflection in the tri-fold mirror with a frown.

"Its time to leave now, _Caleb._"

"Timothy, right?" the hanyou clipped at the valet, obviously vexed with the proceedings.

"Yes, my Lord..." the valet was funereal in his response. "I believe Lord Sesshoumaru is speaking to... his brother..." he added direly, glancing at Sesshoumaru, who in a rare demonstration of exasperation, rolled his eyes.

Reaching to fussed with InuYasha's burgundy cravat, then tug at the matching cummerbund a couple of times, Timothy stepped back to examine his work.

"Oh... right," the hanyou turned his glare toward his brother, interrupting the valet's ministrations.

With an exasperated huff, the man ran around to pull at the back of the head wrap, adjusting the hanyou's long white braid and arranging the shorter hair around where his ears would be, spritzing hairspray on each side.

InuYasha made a face at the invasion of the spray, then sneezed.

"Laura was correct, you do seem to clean up nicely, " Sesshoumaru commented offhandedly, "Come, we will be late for the reception."

"So which the fuck is it, Sesshoumaru?" InuYasha demanded with a glower.

"I'm sorry, to whom were you speaking?" asked the Demon, blandly looking at his brother.

"Excuse me, _Mr. Dog_..." InuYasha looked down and shook his foot, fighting the restriction of the hard shoe. "Which is it? Opera, or ... reception?" InuYasha was in a foul mood, and the valet backed away a bit, obviously in concern for his own personal safety.

"That's _Lord Dog_ to you, halfbreed." Sesshoumaru's voice rose only slightly assuming a level of command, as he motioned with a jerking of his head to dismiss the cowing servant. The man bowed briefly and ran out the door.

"Its a special reception for contributors the the Opera House Preservation Project. The Opera is immediately following the reception." The Demon tilted a brow at his brother, "Now is the time we transition to modern identities... I need for you to respond to your name."

InuYasha sneered at him, then stomped his shoe, grinding his foot back with a wince.

"Fine, Jackass... you know I really fuckin' hate these shoes..." he growled, glaring at the offensively shiny footwear. Even the square toes did little to help the pinched feeling on his clawed feet.

"Bring your moccasins, you can change to them afterward," Sesshoumaru suggested, motioning to the boots on the floor.

InuYasha reached for them, and his hat as well, then on his way through the door he slipped the hat under his arm, and reached up to grab Tetsusaiga.

Should there be a repeat confrontation with Kouga, tonight, he would be ready.

"This is a champagne reception, _Caleb..._" Sesshoumaru briefed him as they made their way down the hallways of the mansion to the waiting car. "I will expect you to be on your best behavior."

"I don't like this, it feels like I am lying," InuYasha frowned and shook his head, looking at the floor as they walked. "My name isn't Caleb."

"Quite the contrary..." Sesshoumaru stopped for a moment pulling out the folder from his breast pocket. "Your name is indeed Caleb Inudono... you should carry these with you."

Adeptly opening the folder with his clawed hand, he slipped four small cards from one side of it with his thumb, offering them to his brother. "This is your I.D... And the others are used as currency."

InuYasha slipped his sword under the arm with his hat, effectively crushing it. He took the cards, examining them. One had his picture and name among other things, the others had logos on them and lots of numbers. The Demon then reached into another pocket and pulled out a slim black wallet, taking the cards back, he slipped them into the slots of the wallet agilely with thumb and two slim, clawed fingers.

"Put that in your pocket. You will need them any time you go. . . out," he instructed, handing the wallet to his brother, who twisted around with his arms full, trying to figure out where to put the thing.

"Here. . . _Caleb_," Sesshoumaru pulled back on InuYasha's jacket to reveal the hidden breast pocket. Slipping the sleek wallet into the pocket they resumed their trek to the waiting car.

"By the way, I have asked Laura to stop wearing perfume when she is working with you," the Demon looked pointedly at his brother. "I trust that will solve your issues with her."

"Feh..." was the hanyou's only comment, as they reached the vehicle.

InuYasha noted that it was a different limo this time. This one was longer, and white compared to the black one that Kouga had scratched up. He was pleased to see the driver was the same, however.

The one who drove so smoothly.

The ride over the bridge and into the city was quiet, as InuYasha sat with his arms folded across his chest stubbornly, glaring at the floor.

Sesshoumaru watched him as he pondered his decision to do this, so soon after bringing his brother to this new place.

He had insisted on only English being spoken, believing that total immersion was the best way to speed his brother's learning process, and InuYasha had been a quick study.

He sighed inwardly as he considered how quickly InuYasha had fallen into the use of slang, mentally slapping himself for not insisting that the team avoid profanity.

But then again, that was part of the hanyou's charm, part of who he is. _I can't make him into something he is not. _

_Much as I might want to sometimes. _

Traffic in the city was as usual for a Friday night, ridiculously slow.

"Laura has told me that you are _cute_ when you pout," Sesshoumaru ventured, breaking the silence. InuYasha transferred his glare from the floor to his brother. "I would have to disagree. . . _Please_ do not be a baka tonight. . . _Caleb_."

"This whole thing is a fuckin' waste of time," his response had an air of disgust. "I could care less about some stupid opera. . . I looked it up, you know. People runnin' around singing their words. . . just sounds stupid." He returned his glare to the floor.

"Think of it as. . . practical experience. It will give you something interesting to talk to your miko about when we find her," suggested the Demon. "She's a school teacher, _Caleb_."InuYasha shot his brother an accusatory look.. "Certainly she knows something about classic opera, and if not. . . well then, something you can share with her."

"When the hell did you find this out, Jackass?" he demanded, sitting up attentively..

"My name is _Seth,_" the Demon looked out the window. "That little book you found has some interesting dates in it. It appears she is directing some kind of project for the cultural fair in a few weeks." He leaned forward peering speculatively toward his brother. "I think we will find her soon..." then a warning, "Just don't move too fast with her when we do. She won't know you, or..." and he sat back, locking in on his brother glare, "anything about your heritage."

"Thanks for the warning, Jackass," the hanyou refolded his arms, glowering.

"My name is _Seth_."

"Keh... Seth," he conceded. "So do you want to warn me about what to expect at this _thing _you are dragging me to?"

"There will be many people there, and they will mostly be false like any high social function," the Demon leaned forward. "Most of them will be quite curious about you."

"Great," InuYasha mumbled. "And tell me again... why are we doing this?"

"Because you need some culture in your life," the Demon sat back "Perhaps you will make contacts. . . acquaintances that will prove valuable to you in the future. That _is the best reason_ to attend this type of function."

"I don't need contacts," the hanyou growled glowering out the window "I never needed contacts before, why would I need 'em now?"

"Just try to keep an open mind, little brother." Sesshoumaru offered in addition, "You might actually enjoy yourself, if you give it a chance."

"Feh," huffed the hanyou.

InuYasha watched the passing traffic in silence, until a motorcycle flew by between the lanes and this got his attention. Lowering the window, he leaned his head out to watch the slim vehicle maneuver quickly through the traffic.

"Get back in your seat, halfbreed," commanded the Demon, forgetting himself at the shock of his brother hanging out of the window.

"That was great! Did you see that? They just flew right past the cars..." InuYasha's eyes were bright, with an animated excitement that Sesshoumaru had yet to have seen finding him. He sat back again with a bounce and closed the window. "Can I have one of those?"

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed slightly.

_InuYasha actually asked for something?_

His brother's enthusiasm was vibrant, compelling. Like a child who has just discovered a new toy.

"A motorcycle?" queried the Demon. "You want a. . . motorcycle?"

"Hell yeah! To be able to ride in the wind. . . not locked up in some stuffed up car. . ." he was practically vibrating with the idea.

"You realize that you have to have a special permit to ride such a thing..." warned his elder brother.

"I don't care! I would do anything I have to! How do I get one of those... permits?"

At the very least, he wasn't growling and glaring anymore, and that pleased the Demon.

"We will look into it tomorrow, InuYasha. . . Caleb," he corrected himself, startled that he slipped when he was the one who had demanded they only use their legal names.

"Ha! Mr. Perfect Dog fucked up..." laughed the hanyou. "OK, so tomorrow _Seth_ and _Caleb _are going to go get _Caleb _a motorcycle. . ." he grinned smugly. "Hells, if we had one now we coulda been there already."

"You cannot be thinking that this Seth Inudono would ride on one of . . . _those,_" Sesshoumaru shuddered slightly.

_The very thought!_

At least InuYasha was settling into the names, or so it seemed. The rest of the evening would tell. It was nice to see him excited about something for a change, and not glowering.

"Feh! . . . chicken. . ." InuYasha cast out, sitting back holding his elbows as if he were wearing his haori, a smirk on his face.

Sesshoumaru simply raised an eyebrow at the challenge.

Glancing at the digital clock next to the small refrigerator, the Demon noted that they would be 'fashionably late', which was actually better with this being InuYasha's first social function.

The car drew up to the entrance, and as the driver jumped out to open their door, InuYasha fingered his sword, uncomfortable with the separation that was impending.

Sesshoumaru simply shook his head at his younger brother.

The sword could not come too.

On their exit there was much commotion with the occasional flashing of photographers' cameras, consequently neither of the brothers took notice of the police officer at the base of the stairs who had taken an extreme interest in them. She spoke into the little mic that protruded from her helmet, backing away from the noise of the traffic, though her sharp eyes never left the brothers as they moved through the crowd to ascend the stairs.

InuYasha ducked his head slightly, away from the flashing lights, blushing at all the attention as other patrons openly stared at the two.

Sesshoumaru took his elbow directing him up the stairs fairly swiftly, while all through the progression the hanyou had this overwhelming urge to run... _anywhere but here_.

He had not expected anything like this, and was pretty sure he didn't like it.

Yet Sesshoumaru seemed to not be fluffed by it at all, as he presented their invitations and allowed his overcoat to be removed directing InuYasha to do the same.

The hanyou flinched as his overcoat was pulled gently from his shoulders, glancing around at the throng of people that were milling about all dressed to their teeth.

It was then that he became aware of the richness of the place.

Massive chandeliers hung in an alternating pattern from the ceiling. Rich, ornately designed carpeting in burgundy, blue and gold cushioned the floor, and the gilding all throughout the lobby took his breath away. It was like a great palace for a king.

In all their trips through the well Kagome had never shown him anything this grand before.

"This is the product of many months of renovation, Caleb," the Demon motioned generally around the room. "It has been one of my pet projects. I do believe..." and he looked around critically, "that I am pleased with the outcome."

"Seth!" came a shout from somewhere about midway through the lobby. After whispering to a woman standing by him, a portly man moved in their direction.

"He just called you an 'elusive bastard' to that woman," InuYasha's whisper toward his brother's ear was little more than an exhaled breath.

"Imagine that," mused the Demon, watching the man weave through the crowd. "I venture to say that _is_ my reputation with most people..."

"Seth Inudono! I am so _very_ pleased to see you join us tonight!" The rotund man greeted them. "Let me guess... Caleb?" he held out his hand and InuYasha folded his arms, looking at it.

"Gerard Bodine, Chairman of the Renovation Project. . . my brother Caleb," introduced Sesshoumaru with a nod to his brother.

Bodine eyed the young man with the strange wrap on his head, noting that he did not appear to belong to the same strange religious sect as his brother, not having any of the odd tattoos.

He then absently wiped his unshaken hand on his jacket.

"I am afraid that Caleb is still. . . acclimating," The Demon attempted to explain the lack of return on the offer of a simple handshake.

"I can imagine," the man nodded sagely. "How does it feel to be home, Caleb? It's been a long time. . ."

InuYasha blinked, then glanced at his brother, then back at the man.

"Um... strange?" his mouth was dry, his words sounded affected.

He looked at Sesshoumaru hoping the answer was good enough, as he spied a waiter walking by with a tray of drinks in tall thin glasses.

He snagged one of said glasses, before it could be offered. . . and drank it.

All of it.

It wasn't an unpleasant taste, though it tickled going down like the soda pop that Kagome used to share with him, just not as sweet which was much better.

He took another glass as the other two men talked.

"Interesting accent," remarked Bodine as he watched the younger of the brothers drink his second glass of champagne in two gulps rather than just one, then reach for a third and yet a fourth.

"He is relearning his English," offered Sesshoumaru, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder and giving the waiter a head jerk, silently telling him to move along.

The waiter scuttled away with a tray of mostly empty glasses.

"I'm standing right here, you know Jack-" the hanyou belched noisily, "-ass."

"Certainly... of course... English," gaped Bodine.

"It is part of what was... lost," Sesshoumaru lightly touched the side of his head, giving Bodine a knowing look.

Bodine's eyes widened with understanding and he then nodded sagely.

"I better get back to Donna, before she commits me to yet another charity. Call me Seth, I have a proposal for your publishing house." He eyed InuYasha as he made to move toward yet another waiter. He nodded toward him, "Looks like you have your hands full . . . good luck with that."

"Indeed," muttered Sesshoumaru as he watched the man weave back across the lobby.

"Hey. . . um . . . Seth!" InuYasha returned to the Demon, both hands holding more champagne flutes. Glancing at the one in his left hand thoughtfully, he then handed it to his elder sibling. "That girl over there has her species mixed up." He tilted his head toward the person in question and shook his head.

"_What_ are you going on about, _Caleb_?" the Demon demanded with the tiniest hint of exasperation lacing his tone. He accepted the offered glass and lightly sipped, looking in the direction InuYasha had indicated.

"She said I was a stone fox!" He snorted. "I'm no fuckin' kitsune. . ." he downed his glass, then belched again.

"Observe, halfbreed. . ." Sesshoumaru spoke so low even InuYasha had difficulty hearing him, and he slowly raised the glass to his lips, sipping gently at the beverage. "_That_. . . is how it is done. It is to be savored, not inhaled."

"Hn," grunted the hanyou. "It tastes like soda pop," he commented, glancing around with a lopsided grin.

He sniffed at the air. The grin fading.

"It will sneak up on you, you would be well advised to slow down..." admonished his elder brother, his brow furrowing slightly at InuYasha's expression.

With all the people, many wearing cologne or perfume, the air was thick. Even the extraordinarily high ceilings brought little relief, but there was hint of something familiar. Something that raised the hackles on the back of InuYasha's neck. Something smelled. . . just. . . wrong, and he made a face.

"What is it, little brother?"

"Not sure..." he looked around at the wandering, chattering mass of patrons. "Something in here stinks..." he continued to peer around at the people.

"Seth!" came a female voice, both brothers cast around for the source and found a beckoning hand above the crowd.

Still holding his champagne flute, Sesshoumaru used his fingers to pull on InuYasha's elbow, directing him toward the source of the summons.

As they approached the elegantly dressed woman, InuYasha's jaw dropped visibly. Here was the source of his unease.

Her strapless white gown hung close but shroud like along her small but shapely form, with exotic feathers woven into her hair which was piled appealingly on her head to reveal her slender neck.

"I just couldn't believe it when I saw that little blurb in the paper," she kissed Sesshoumaru lightly on the cheek, bright green eyes flashing at the hanyou, who's eyebrows had crested and were now hidden in his fluffy bangs. "You really did find him..."

"Right where I expected to," he confirmed.

The Demon returned her affectionate gesture, then turned to look at the priceless expression on his brother's face, eyes saucers as he gaped at her.

"Kagura?" obviously disbelieving his own eyes, InuYasha pulled closer.

"It's Kate, Caleb. . . Kate Windham. . ." she flashed him a smile. "Nice to see you too. . ." she simpered with a note of sarcasm in her voice, then holding her gaze on him she asked his brother, "Has he been behaving himself?"

"For the most part. . ." responded the Demon, watching his brother's reaction guardedly.

"What the _FUCK_ happened to your eyes?" demanded the hanyou, tilting his head as he examined her face.

"Caleb!" commanded his brother. "Lower your voice..."

"But. . ." InuYasha looked back and forth between them with confusion.

"Contacts. . . " she dropped to a whisper.

"Sesshou. . . um. . . Seth says this is a good place for that. . ." mumbled the hanyou, not knowing any other meaning for the term.

Kagura's bemused expression melted as he circled her.

InuYasha then moved to nearly a nose's distance from her, gazing fixedly on the demoness' face, sniffing loudly to convince himself it really was her.

"I think I have officially been 'whuffed'," she leaned back and away slightly, with a raised brow.

"She still stinks like that bastard..." he muttered low into his brother's ear, as he moved away from her. This brought a frown in response from the Demon..

"Don't be rude. . ." Sesshoumaru hissed quietly at him, then turned his attention to the demoness.

"Would you care to join us this evening, Miss Windham?" Sesshoumaru set down his glass and offered his arm, keeping a wary eye on InuYasha.

One more thing for the hanyou to adjust to, Kagura _not _being his enemy.

"I gotta go..." InuYasha backed up a pace with a strained look on his face. He glanced around furtively, trying to locate the facilities. Sesshoumaru's first thought was that InuYasha was going to bolt, then realizing his true meaning, pointed to a sign by an exit to a hallway. "Keh..." and the hanyou took off at a trot toward it.

"He likes the champagne..." Sesshoumaru explained, " a little too much I am afraid."

"Well. . . it's good he's enjoying himself," Kagura grinned wickedly. "I don't think he was too happy to see me, though..." she raised a brow, tapping a pair of fan less fingers against her cheek. "Do you think he's ok in there alone?"

She tipped her head to look toward the hallway.

"He's a grown man, I would think he could attend to his own needs," came the Demon's response, who then also stretched ever so slightly, to glance at the hallway door.

"You've taken a lot on bringing him here, I'm proud of you," she offered tilting her head to look up into the demon's golden eyes. "You've come a long way... Seth. I think in time he will be less wary of me..."

"You are ever the analyst, aren't you Kate?" he observed blandly as she continued to watch him.

"It comes with the job, Seth... You don't make Dean of Social Sciences for a major University by being a slacker." The statement was bordering on terse, containing a hint of defensiveness.

Knowing he had struck a nerve, he quickly changed the subject.

"About that little problem..." his eyes met hers knowingly. "_She _is out of the picture."

Her eyes narrowed.

"It was ugly. . . we almost lost Caleb. . . " he glanced back at the hallway. _What is taking him so long? If he ran, I will be forced to hurt him, badly. . ._

"Are you telling me that you _just found_ him, and you already have him running. . . _errands_?" The exasperation in her voice made him wince nearly imperceptibly.

She was aware, she knew him. . . better than anyone.

"Is _that _why you brought him here?" Her eyes flashed.

He swore he could see the crimson behind those impossibly electric emerald contacts. He schooled his expression, her brow lifting as she observed the process.

"Be assured, it was not my intention to endanger him," he spoke pointedly. "I wished only to attempt another. . . meeting. . . with her mate," he looked away. "The situation escalated. . . he would have been fine had it not been for disease among their. . . livestock."

He turned to fix his golden gaze intently down on her.

"And no. . . that is _not _why he is here. . And _you know it_," his eyes flickered toward the hallway. "Now that he _is_ here, however. . . he has his own agenda, and it is my wish to see him achieve this goal."

Kagura took this in, pausing a moment to consider what livestock he would be referring to, and it dawned on her that, of course their _watchers _would not have benefit of modern veterinary care.

_Idiots._

"The whole lot of them should be shipped back to Japan, in my opinion..." she swept her hand in the air as though sending them off with one of her fans.

"Caleb. . . he seems to be fine now. . ." and they both relaxed at the sight of the hanyou as he reappeared in the hallway entrance, then moved through the patrons toward them.

"What took you so long?" demanded the Demon, unsuccessful in masking his worry, as his brother finally reached them.

"There was a guy in there who wanted to know where I got my suit," InuYasha looked mildly perplexed at Sesshoumaru's display. "He said he really liked the 'do-wrap' look. . . he meant this," and he pointed to his headpiece.

"Well, imagine that..." Kagura mused, patting Sesshoumaru's arm gently. "Not even here a full week and he's setting fashion trends. . . what next?"

"Hn," huffed the Demon. "Come, my lady," he offered his arm to her again, "It will soon be time for the overture, and I do not wish to miss one single note." He spared a warning glance to his younger brother, who blinked back at him then shrugged.

InuYasha snagged another flute of champagne on the way, keeping one eye on Kagura, who was entirely too close to his brother. Just a little bit too chummy for his comfort. They started up the long stairway and he tried to just sip the champagne, he really did. . . but it was gone by the time they reached the top of the stairs. Sighing, he set the glass down on the banister, and they entered the specially reserved box for the Inudono party.

_They need bigger damn glasses,_ he thought, as he almost tripped over his own feet, before plopping into a plush seat.

"I warned you, halfbreed... it sneaks up on you," his brother smirked slightly.

"Oh! I have some news you two might be interested in," Kagura settled herself then leaned out slightly so see both of them. "One of my graduate students is involved in a project for the cultural fair this year. It seems someone is telling the legend of the Shikon no Tama! Isn't that a hoot?"

The brothers both stared at her, as if frozen in place.

"Hmm..." she put her finger to her chin. "That was _not _the reaction I was expecting."

"Ca-leb!" called a pair of female voices from below them.

InuYasha leaned forward to notice that he was having a little trouble focusing, but finally zeroing in on the two young women that had mistaken his species.

He rolled his eyes, and was rewarded with a bit of vertigo as the room swirled. He pressed his hands against his eyes.

"You have a fan club, Caleb," Kagura stood to glare at the waving girls, who on seeing her, gasped then quickly dropped to their seats. They were both freshmen at Berkley, and she knew them better than she wished to.

"Stupid bitches," InuYasha slurred slightly, slumping back in his chair.

"I won't disagree with you, but," Kagura asked curiously, "why do you think so?"

"They called me kitsune. . . I don't even look kitsune. . . baka females."

For a moment Kagura's expression was perplexed. Looking to Sesshoumaru for explanation her only reward was a slight shrug. Then slowly, realization dawned on her, and she chuckled.

"I see," she smirked, "That must have been terribly insulting to you..."

"Feh," It sounded more like a grunt from the hanyou, who was leaning slightly to the side with the fingers of one hand pressing against his temples.

"Kate, can you tell me the name of that student you mentioned?" queried Sesshoumaru, staring straight ahead.

"Sure, but. . . why?" she asked.

"I would wish to speak to him," he stated simply.

"Well, good luck. . . I can't get him to answer my messages. . ." she sighed. "Something is going on, and I wish I knew what it was. . ." her brow furrowed a moment and she peered at the Demon sitting beside her.

"Just _what _are youup to, Sesshoumaru?" the demand was whispered just as the overture began, and he put a finger to his lips.

Glancing over at his brother, he was disappointed to find his younger brother had, for all intent and purpose, passed out. He shook his head, then settled back closing his eyes for a moment, letting the music envelope him. . .

_Note to self: No more champagne for the pup._

"Didn't you feed him before you brought him out?" Kagura queried, glancing behind Sesshoumaru at the hanyou that begun snoring. "What kind of monster _are you_?" her eyes glittered mischievously, and she also set back.

"Hn," huffed the Demon, opening shining, golden eyes as the curtain was drawn.

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A/N : No I couldn't leave Kagura out, I know, I know... she's the wind now, but since this is MY UNIVERSE... she's around to annotate some of Fluffy's changes, at the very least... Kami knows SOMEONE needs too,sheesh (I claim no responsibility:P ) And if you buy that, there's this really pretty orange bridge just south of Sesshoumaru's property that is for sale...

My references to Mr. Dog vs Lord Dog is directly related to the honorific -dono (which I understand comes from the word Tono which means 'feudal lord'), which can be high formal for Mister.

Excerpt From Wikidpedia: **_Don Giovanni_** is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte. It was premiered in Prague on October 29, 1787.

It is widely regarded as one of the greatest pieces of music ever composed, and of the many operas based on the legend of Don Juan, Mozart's is thought to be beyond compare. The opera was billed as _dramma giocoso_ or "playful drama," belonging to a genre neither completely comic nor completely tragic.

hmmm so it makes ya laugh and it makes ya cry... definitely my kinda show! Hope the hanyou doesn't snore too loud... (sigh)

Until Next Time!

Metsuki


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Twenty Nine

InuYasha sat slumped in his plush seat and picked lazily at the shreds of his cravat which littered his lap. He'd slaughtered the annoying thing in his sleep, obviously, and he wasn't exactly sure how Sesshoumaru was going to react.

That is if he hadn't already noticed.

The activity on the stage made no sense to him, the language was foreign, the sound of the orchestra was what had awakened him.

Not moving, he ventured a surreptitious glance in the direction of the Demon. His eyes met with those of his elder brother who's contained a mildly bemused expression.

Fisting his hand to his mouth, he cleared his throat and pulled himself upright, blushing.

"So. . . what did I miss?" he asked leaning closer to his brother's ear. The curtain closed, music stopped, and the audience rose to offer a standing ovation.

Sesshoumaru leaned away and quirked a brow, then stood to applaud for the curtain call. "Oh."

"Have a good nap?" queried Kagura over the ovation, leaning behind the Demon with a glimmer in her eyes.

"I need that name, Kate. . ." Sesshoumaru turned himself and his attention to the demoness, effectively shutting InuYasha away from the conversation with all the noise. "That student of your's. And a number if you have it with you."

"I have the damn thing memorized. . ." She leaned toward him, still clapping lightly, "but his voice mail is full, it won't do you any good. The kid is avoiding me for some reason," her hands stopped and she peered at the Demon. "What's going on Seth?"

"It's none of your concern, Kate. I wish to speak with him, that should be sufficient," his tone contained an icy barrier that she was, as of late, unaccustomed to, and it vexed her.

She sat back down in irritation, folded her arms and silently counted to 125. He knew how to provoke her, and she would not allow him this little victory. It was _her_ student, after all. . . and the pompous ass was not going to meddle with one of her graduate students without her knowing exactly _why_. She mentally flagellated herself for even telling him she had the number memorized.

InuYasha observed the now silent exchange between them, his ears straining to turn under the restriction of his head wrap. _So, maybe Sesshoumaru doesn't completely trust her, after all. . ._

"Fine then, just the name. I will get the rest on my own," Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at her.

"Why is it so hard for you to tell me what the _hell _is going on?" she demanded. "Let me ask you this. . . does what you have to discuss with him have _anything _to do with his education ? Or is it something to do with the cultural fair project?"

"I knew nothing of the project until you mentioned it. . ." his tone was indifferent.

InuYasha actually found himself beginning to feel sorry for Kagura. More than once in his life he had been on the receiving end of that icy, emotionless mask that his brother was sporting. He hadn't cared for it then, and he didn't care for it now knowing that the reason for Sesshoumaru's demand was for his sake.

". . . and his education is of no concern to me," Sesshoumaru concluded his response to her question.

The two stared at each other for a long moment, as the sounds of the vacating patrons began to diminish.

"What's his name, Kagura? I'm the one that needs to know," InuYasha interrupted the mostly silent sparring match that was going on.

"_You_?" she leaned to stare at him dubiously.

"Yeah. . . me. I think he knows something that will help me. . . " He glanced at his brother. "It's something. . . personal."

She peered at him for a moment, in consideration.

"Tell you what, InuYasha," her eyes flicked to the Demon with a murderous look, " I need to talk to him, too. His name is Michael Andrews. . . If you find him, make sure he gets in touch with me ASAP." She rose to leave, glaring at Sesshoumaru. "Thank you for the choice seat, _Mr. Inudono_. I can see myself out."

And she breezed out of their company. An icy breeze it was, except for the brief touch on InuYasha's shoulder as she passed him.

"A-sapp?" InuYasha scratched at his head, making a face.

Sesshoumaru sat staring at nothing for a long moment.

InuYasha brushed the remaining threads of his cravat onto the floor, wondering what all that had been about. He wasn't so sure he really wanted to know.

"It is an acronym, for as soon as possible. . ." Sesshoumaru finally spoke, his eyes still fixed forward. "She is obviously worried about this student. So in finding him, we can also perform a service for her. . ."

InuYasha narrowed his gaze at the Demon. _He wants to help her? After all that?_

"I don't get it," his tone was incredulous. "First you give her the cold shoulder. . . then you want to _help_ her?"

"At least I didn't 'whuff' her and announce that she stinks," his expression was unchanged, eyes still locked on nothing.

InuYasha looked abashed. He hadn't _meant_ to be insulting. . . he wasn't sure just what he _had_ meant. _She's still Kagura. Without Naraku jerking her chain. . . maybe she's changed..._

"So. . . what now?" he asked, followed by a rather loud gurgling sound emanating from his stomach.

This drew Sesshoumaru's attention away from the space he had been staring into, to focus on the disheveled hanyou's midsection.

"We feed you. . . as the Lady so aptly put, this Sesshoumaru was a monster for not doing so before taking you out," he rose and motioned to the doorway.

"She said _that_?" InuYasha followed him out and down the stairs.

"What would you like to eat, Caleb?" Sesshoumaru transitioned to legal names again as they walked through the lobby. "It is your. . . turn, now. I did not make it condition that you stay awake for Don Giovanni."

"I want some ninja food. . ." he grinned to himself, memories of campfires and close friends breezing through his mind. _Getting closer. . ._

"And that would consist of. . .?" the Demon waited for some kind of clue.

"Noodles. . . I want some noodles," he replied, with a lopsided grin.

"Ah," Sesshoumaru's expression brightened a bit. "I know of a place that is open late, and that happens to be the specialty. That and imported beverages. Teas, beer, sake, etc."

"Just no champagne. . . right?" InuYasha's tone held a hint of disappointment.

"No champagne," a pointed look told InuYasha he had more than surpassed his champagne allotment for the evening.

_At least I can get out of these STUPID SHOES!_

_ooO0Ooo_

Michael held the door open for Kagome as they entered the restaurant.

"I'm amazed this place is open this late, how did you hear about it Mikey?" she asked as they waited to be seated at one of the booths. It was a retro diner style place, with a definitely Far Eastern flare in the decorating.

Michael started to speak, then glancing at her, he raised his hand and cleared his throat,

"A friend of mine told me about it," he said, looking down at the floor

She smiled at him sympathetically.

For the better part of the last two days they and Sally had worked to clear out her old apartment, and patch up the damage. Little had been salvageable.

Kagome was certain that Michael was as tired and on edge as she was.

Sally had left them several hours before, to go do her special security duty at the Opera opening, letting Michael use her car. He had suggested they all meet at this place for a midnight supper.

As the waiter showed them to a booth, Kagome felt that familiar sense in the room. She had felt this feeling quite a bit since returning to the city, and though growing accustomed to the sensation she doubted she would ever grow comfortable with it.

There were demons near.

"Mikey. . ." she started to comment.

"I know," he interrupted her. "There's bound to be a few around, right?" He sat facing the door then looked around the restaurant, unable to pinpoint anyone specific in the crowd.

"Sure. . . I guess you're right," she took a seat across from him in the booth. "So. . . this place is called The Noodle Factory? Let me guess. . ."

"Anyway you like 'em, or so I have heard," he grinned. "Want a beer?"

"Is it what the doctor orders?" she smirked.

"Let's not go there, OK?" he motioned for the waiter.

He did not want to discuss anything having to do with his degree right now.

"Have you called the university, yet?" She noted his difficulty in meeting her eyes. "Mikey, look at me. . . you haven't called them yet?"

He met her gaze with reluctance. Sighing, he took a sip of his water.

"No," he set the water down, idly turning the glass in it's place. "I honestly don't know what to say to Windham. I don't know how to explain it. . . so it will make sense to her."

"Oh. . . " she was at a loss, herself.

The waiter approached and Michael ordered for both of them, unaware of the scrutinizing gaze that was on him from several booths down.

"_Fuck me!_" InuYasha hissed, adjusting his hat, his golden eyes gone wide.

"I would rather not," replied his brother with a look of distaste. "Eat your food. . . you have hardly touched it." Pouring tea into his cup from the pot on the table, he looked up at the hanyou.

"It's _him_. . . the guy from the car!" InuYasha was becoming agitated, his voice barely in a whisper. He nodded his head forward, toward the pair in the booth that was some distance from them.

Sesshoumaru turned to glance back over his shoulder, past the full booths to see the man with the long black hair. Noticing the woman with him, he closed his eyes for a moment, turning back around to face his brother, who was stiff as a statue across from him.

"Relax, halfbreed. . ." he whispered. "They have just arrived, correct?"

"Yeah, they just walked in. . . the girl. . . she's. . ." he had no words to describe her.

"Eat, Caleb. . . they aren't going anywhere soon," Sesshoumaru sipped at his tea.

InuYasha dug into his bowl, keeping one eye on the pair, unable to hear them over the drone of the others in the restaurant which made him frown.

Michael sipped at his beer, still having trouble meeting Kagome's eyes.

"How long until Sally will get here? Do you know?" She asked him, idly picking at the label of the bottle, her glass of beer untouched.

"She said that she would meet us as soon as she can," he glanced up to watch someone come in the door, then head toward their table. "Something about a meeting afterward at the precinct." He took a deep breath, like he was about to dive into a cold pool.

"What about?" Kagome asked, glancing at him to notice a figure approaching out of the corner of her eye.

Turning her head, her eyes caught a casually dressed young man, jeans and a dark brown Berkley sweatshirt. Her eyes followed up the tall form to fix on a pair of the warmest brown eyes she had ever seen.

He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Fancy meeting _you _here!" Michael rose out of the booth to shake his friend's hand. He beamed a smile when the handshake was returned, but the eyes were only for Kagome.

"Care if I join you? I hate to eat alone," the Berkley man's voice was low and just as warm as his smile. She blushed lightly and looked down at her hands which were still fingering the bottle's label.

"I don't see why not. . . Kagome, this is my buddy Hojo from Engineering. Hojo, this. . ." he motioned toward her as though presenting a prize, ". . .is Kagome Higurashi."

On hearing the name and the field of study, Kagome's jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed.

"_Michael_. . ." through clenched teeth, it was very nearly a growl.

Michael backed up a step, knowing what was coming.

"I need to go call Selene. . ." motioning toward the hallway, his offered excuse not curbing her ire.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kagome. . ." Hojo's semi formal greeting was postponed by Kagome's hand, held up and effectively staying further conversation as she rose from her seat .

"No you _DON'T _Michael Andrews. . ." her seething tone seemed to have little effect on Hojo's admiration, as he stepped back grinning with his arms folded, to observe the goings on.

"Sit you ass back down here!" She pointed at the seat Michael had vacated.

Several booths away, InuYasha heard a female voice and a familiar name. Stretching to see, he found the man and woman were both out of their booth and apparently discussing something heatedly in the aisle. _That's the guy Kagura wants to talk to. . . same guy as the car. . ._

Michael raised his hands, in an attempt to wave off any misunderstanding.

"I mean it, Mikey! Sit down!" Kagome's anger was palpable, and beginning to draw attention from others. "You are going to explain yourself, _DAMNIT_!"

Hojo smirked and settled in for the show, taking Kagome's seat in the booth and helping himself to her untouched beer.

"Now, Kagome. . ." Michael put up his hands again, "It's just a misunderstanding!"

Sesshoumaru twisted around to see the girl pointing to the booth, just as InuYasha rose from his seat, transfixed on the scene.

"That's fuckin' _Miroku_! And he's with _Kagome!_" his jaw was slack, eyes wide, but his shock only brought a nanosecond of hesitation. Stepping toward them, he started to call to them, "_Kago..!_" and was stopped abruptly by a clawed hand fiercely gripped over his mouth.

"Not like that, halfbreed!" hissed his brother, urgently. "_You__may know who they are, but do they?"_

InuYasha swallowed, his eyes narrowing as he tried to pull air past the nearly suffocating grip. He watched as the woman continued to point at the seat, stomping her foot.

"OSUWARI! DAMNIT!" she shrieked.

InuYasha felt a familiar tingling on his neck, his eyes became saucers as one heartbeat later he crashed to the floor, leaving an uncharacteristically puzzled Sesshoumaru standing with hand poised where the hanyou's mouth had been only a second ago.

His eyes shot around the room, barely noting the curious stares he was getting, before looking down to find his younger brother face down on the linoleum tiled floor, his hat askew.

"What? I'm a damn _DOG_ now?" Michael demanded with an indignant look, oblivious to the disturbance on the other side of the restaurant.

Kagome turned briefly toward the crashing sound, followed by a residual tinkling of service ware, and noted that someone obviously had had too much to drink. She immediately turned her attention back to Michael.

"NO! DOGS are LOYAL!" glowering at him, she knew she had made her point. "We talked about this. . . oh FINE! Go make your phone call. . ." She waved him away then ventured an embarrassed glance at the grinning Hojo, before taking Michael's seat.

Sesshoumaru knelt by the hanyou, adjusting his hat to a muffled "_thanks a lot_"

"Are you injured?" his shock at the power of the subjugation was apparent. He had seen the spell work before, but had forgotten just how forceful it was.

"Only my pride, asshole. . ." InuYasha grumbled, struggling against the hold the spell had on him. "Oi, guess what?"

"Nani. . ." the Demon reached to assist his brother.

"The fuckin' rosary still works," he groaned, as the spell diminished and he allowed his elder brother to help him up. He ventured a pained smile and nod to the closest of the curious onlookers.

"You, little brother, have a knack for stating the obvious," Sesshoumaru pointed to the booth, "Now sit, and listen to what I have to say, before you destroy your chances of winning this woman."

InuYasha offered him a customary glower, then did as he was bid, stretching to watch the goings on at the other booth where things seemed to have calmed down.

The two disturbances having become nothing more than history with the after hours crowd, the drone in the room picked up again, effectively deafening the hanyou to the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Hojo. . ." Kagome looked at him sheepishly. "I know that Mikey dragged you out here in the middle of the night to meet me, and I'm being a bitch. . . I told him no matchmaking. . ."

Hojo smiled at her warmly, his eyes sparkling.

"I love a woman with a fiery spirit. . . Is your family really from Tokyo?."

"Yes, they are. I am second generation America though," she found his smile infectious.

" Me too, I am named after my great grandfather Wait. . . The Higurashi shrine!" his eyes lit up even more, if that was possible. "Of course! I was there last New Year!" his smile faded to a look of concern. "Wasn't it terrible about the vandalism?"

"Vandalism?" her brow knit, not understanding.

"You mean you haven't heard?" he leaned forward conspiratorially on his elbows, to discuss this homeland news. "Last week, my cousin called me to tell me about it. They think it was a gang prank, teenagers. . . They broke into a couple of storehouses and tossed things around mostly, and a grave was desecrated. That was the most upsetting, to say the least."

"A grave? Oh. . . Kami. . . not. . ." she stuttered, horrified.

InuYasha could smell the anxiety emanating from the booth that Kagome was in. He had noted that she was speaking to another male now, who had his back to him. What he was saying was obviously upsetting her, and that caused the hanyou his own distress.

He hadn't even spoken to her yet and he felt an overwhelming need to protect her.

"Sit back, Caleb. . ." Sesshoumaru's tone was commanding, and this drew InuYasha's attention. "Remember what I said to you. . . you cannot move too fast or you will frighten her."

"Whoever that jerk is, the one that's with her now. . . he's upset her. I can't just sit here and let some baka upset Kagome. . ." he moved to rise again, and the Demon kicked his legs out from under him, effectively seating him.

"Watch and learn, halfbreed," he locked eyes with his brother. "An introduction must be orchestrated _first_. Without it, she will think you are nothing more than a common lecher."

Sesshoumaru raised a signaling hand to their waiter.

"Oh God, I am so sorry Kagome. . ." it was Hojo's turn to be embarrassed. "I am so thoughtless, she is your namesake. . ." he slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead.

Kagome just stared at him. What a goofy thing for such an intelligent, poised and handsome guy to do. She would have laughed if she hadn't been so upset at the news. _It's not the messenger's fault. . . _

Instinctively needing to comfort him, she reached across the table to take his hand.

"Don't. . ." she pulled a reassuring smile out of nowhere. "Its just one more thing to add to the list Hojo. It's been a rough week for me, and I over reacted. I'm sorry."

"You are. . . amazing, Kagome Higurashi," his smile returning, he ran his thumb across the top of her hand in a soft caress. This brought a blush high in her cheeks.

Neither of them noticed Michael, who was leaning against the wall in the shadows of the hallway, a satisfied grin on is face. _Mission accomplished._

A waiter approached carrying a tray with a carafe and two small cups. Smiling at Kagome he placed it on the table.

"From the gentleman in the white tuxedo," and he nodded toward the Inudono brothers.

As Kagome had never seen them before, she peered in their direction to note they seemed different as night and day. The one facing her was the drunk from earlier, wearing a broad rimmed leather hat. . . the other had an impossibly long braid of white hair.

It was then she realized the source of her anxiety when first entering the restaurant.

One of them, was youkai, she was certain of it.

"Wow! Kagome. . ." Hojo had picked up a business card that was on the tray with the sake and cups. "Do you know this guy?"

Michael rejoined them, having seen the waiter deliver the sake. He took the card from Hojo, who had an expression of wide eyed respect on his face.

"Still mad at me?" he asked Kagome, looking at the card.

"Yes, but I'll get over it. . . Mikey. . ." she hesitated, then nodded to the pair far down the aisle.

"Yeah, I know. . . Inudono huh? Strange name. . ." he peered at the pair, noticing the glower on face of the one in the hat facing them.

Hojo whispered, as he reached to pour sake into the two cups, "Trust me, with the money he has, no one questions his name. . . Not sure of his ethnicity, but in Japanese it would be something like Lord Dog." He chuckled. "More like Top Dog, he's worth at least a couple Billion. He _never_ comes out in public! You two look like you need this. . ." and he pushed the cups of sake in front of them.

The two of them sat frozen in their places, staring at the cups.

"Kagome. . ." Michael ventured, "are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"Um. . ." she responded stupidly. _Kami! If he's youkai, then it could be poisoned!_

Hojo watched them for a minute curiously, then glanced back at the pair in the far booth, then turned around and shrugged.

"Well if you aren't going to have any, I think I will," and he picked up the cup in front of Kagome.

He grinned and raised it in a silent toast. Just as it was about to reach his lips, she slapped it violently out of his hand causing the cup to bounce off the wall with a clatter as the sake sprayed all over the table.

Hojo blinked, his lips still pursed to accept the beverage, his hand still in the air.

"You don't know where that's been!" hissed Kagome.

Michael saw Selene walk in and glance around the restaurant, still in her uniform. He stood and motioned to her and she swiftly joined them.

InuYasha also saw Selene walk in, and ducked lower into his seat swearing under his breath.

"Oi, jackass. . . I gotta news report for ya. . ." he muttered low. "That law enforcement bitch just walked in and is sitting with them."

"That complicates matters considerably," there was a hint of a frown on Sesshoumaru's face.

"Wow, prestigious bunch in this place tonight," she commented after kissing Michael on the cheek. She sat down next to Hojo. "Hey Hojo, how's it goin'?"

"Hi Selene," he watched Kagome dabbing at the mess on the table with a napkin.

"That guy over there in the white tux, " she commented, nodding toward the brothers, "is Seth Inudono. . ."

"Yeah, we know," Kagome and Michael said simultaneously. Michael handed her the business card.

"The younger guy is his brother, Caleb. I guess Caleb's the reason he's out and about these days. It's said that he's rarely seen in public."As she looked at the card, Kagome saw that there was writing on the back of it which she had somehow missed before.

"So Kagome, can you tell me what this guy would want in your neighborhood?" Selene asked.

Kagome took the card back, and turned it over.

"What do you mean?" she asked absently, reading the note. She then handed it to Michael.

Michael read the script on the back then blanched.

"Well, I think the guy got the message, one down and one to go," InuYasha commented, pulling the brim of his hat down low on his brow. "Why can't I just go talk to her?"

"You would wish to jog the officer's memory? Do you recall the condition we left that apartment in?" Sesshoumaru fixed his gaze on his brother's eyes, "Our presence there was not sanctioned, it could get ugly. . . Caleb."

"Those two were hanging around outside your place on Wednesday." This statement got Kagome's attention. "I saw them there as I was leaving to go make the report and pull a forensics team together. Ooo. . . Sake!"

Selene grabbed the full cup in front of Michael, and almost got to drink it.

"NO!" He knocked the cup out of her hand, spraying Hojo and the table.

"Hey! You didn't want it. . . " she then realized the mess the table had become." So. . . you guys holding a frat party here, or having dinner?" she inquired.

"The sake was sent to Kagome from Inudono, but either she really doesn't like sake or there's something these guys haven't told me." Hojo looked at the two across from him, confused

"I'm not very hungry anymore," Kagome frowned. "Can we just get something to go and go home?"

"Sure, honey. We can do that. . . " Selene watched Kagome worriedly. "Hojo, you and the monk come too, I think an explanation is in order."

"So, jackass. . ." InuYasha narrowed his eyes on his brother, " you got a plan 'B'? She obviously didn't care for the sake. She wont let anyone else drink it either."

"That other woman's arrival makes it impossible now. However," he reached to touch his brother's arm, "it is still a first step, she now has our contact information."

"But we don't know where to find _her_. . . DAMNIT!" InuYasha sat up in his seat. "I can't _win her_ if I can't _find her_, Sesshoumaru. . . SHIT!" he banged his head on the table, "Seth. . . OH _what-the-fuck-ever_!"

"Calm down, Caleb. . . it's only a small snag," the Demon narrowed his eyes, watching his brother with concern. "We know now, there is no doubt who she is."

InuYasha watched the foursome rise from the booth, and head to the door. A low growl emanating from him involuntarily as he watched the man with the brown sweatshirt put his arm around Kagome.

This caused Sesshoumaru to turn, and for a moment as they were leaving his eyes met with hers, and he nodded. _She knows what I am. . . interesting. . . very interesting indeed._

Kagome tried to smile at the strange man with the even stranger tattoos on his face, but she shuddered instead. _He knows. . . and he knows that I know. . . but is he a threat? Or is he a new ally?_

She glanced at the card again going out the door which was being held for her by Hojo.

InuYasha cracked his knuckles, then flexed his claws.

_ooO0Ooo_

A/N: Thank you all for the kind reviews! The chappies are getting longer for some reason, hmm not sure if that is good or bad. But so much more is happening, and going to happen. I'm wondering how long Sesshoumaru is going to be able to keep the hanyou on a chain. . . he seems to be getting fed up with it.

Supreme Admiral of the Web : thank you for the kind words, I will do my best :)

smfan : thank you, glad you are still on the ride with me :)

ADSV : I so very much appreciate all that you have said! We will see more of InuYasha's softer side, now that he knows for certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is his Kagome. As for haircuts, would that do any good? I would imagine that their hair would grow back so fast it would be redundant to even try to keep it short, LOL. Your generosity in your review took my breath away, thank you so very much.

cuteness : thank you! I am pleased you are enjoying it!

skeptic : too bad RL gets in the way, LOL but will longer chapters help? 8D

Until next time!

Metsuki


	31. Chapter Thirty

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Thirty

His ears still rung from the sound of the shattering glass.

He knew he would have Hell to pay but the bastard had left him with no other choice. It was either go through the window _NOW_, or get both of his legs broken from the repeated sweeping kicks that kept sitting him back down in the booth. Their scent would not last long in this odorous city, he had needed to move quickly. _Fuckin' Sesshoumaru. . . _

The challenge had been to stay in the shadows, the city streets were too damn well lit at night, but he had succeeded, even catching small morsels of the conversation going on between the four of them as they walked to their cars which were parked several blocks away from the restaurant.

The joker who had been touching _his _Kagome was a friend of that Michael, and she had only just met him. This was a relief for the hanyou, but also it was worrisome that someone who barely knew her felt so free to handle her. _She's mine, DAMNIT._ _She just don't know it yet. . ._

He had decided that the jackass was probably right, but the thought of not being able to talk to her. . . to hold her. . . was more than his heart could bear.

Now that he had found her, all he could think of was how badly he needed her. She hadn't even _looked_ at him at the restaurant, she no idea of the power she held over him. And that power wasn't just through the rosary.

He thought about that for a while, as he jumped rooftops following the two cars far below. He considered the possibility of _not telling her _about the rosary. What would life be like without being sat at her whim? But then again, that command had stopped him more than once from doing something terrible.

Maybe he would just not tell her right away.

_First I just need to talk to her. . ._

Resting a moment in a tree, his breath was slightly labored as he watched the vehicles turn into the driveway of a single level home. It had been a long run to the south side of the city, and he lamented that his stamina hadn't fully returned after his illness.

This had to be the law enforcement bitch's place, because it was her car that went into the garage, while the other parked behind it.

His brother's words brushed across his mind, as he watched Kagome exit from the new man's car. '_Don't move too fast, halfbreed, or you will frighten her.'_

He leaped across the street and bound over rooftops to rest on the one directly across the street from the house. Hunkering down low, partially hidden by a chimney, he watched. . . and waited.

_ooO0Ooo_

Sesshoumaru stood by the register and signed the check, ripping it adeptly from the book to hand it to the red faced, ranting manager of the restaurant.

"He need to go to Anger Management, that boy! Or maybe A.A., this no good! He can't go 'round breakin' windows!" the man clipped. "He need a head doctor, or somethin'. . ." he glanced at the blank check not registering what he held in his hand. Glaring back at Sesshoumaru, he did a double take at the check, his tongue still wagging, "You need to keep him on a leash, that boy! That for sure!"

The tirade abruptly stopped.

"I trust that will sufficiently cover the damages and inconvenience," the Demon blandly nodded toward the check, though he was far from feeling calm, or even bored. In fact a number of choice expletives were swimming through his mind in association with his baka sibling.

Amazingly the man's tongue had ceased it's wagging and he had begun to examine the Demon with a degree of astonished respect.

"Yes, Mr. Inudono, thank you. . ."and he offered a small bow. "I hope you find him soon."

"Me too," he muttered as he nodded at the man and left.

On arrival at the limo he was relieved to find that Tetsusaiga was still sitting on the back seat. After directing the driver, he picked up the car phone dialing the number from memory.

"Windham," came the distracted answer.

"We need to talk."

"I think we've done enough of that for one night, thank you." She sniffed, rather noisily.

"He's gone," he stated simply.

"Oh. . . so you drove him off, too?" she didn't sound surprised.

"I need your help. . . I need to find him."

"You need _my _help? Mr. "I-can-do-it-all-myself-bitch, stand-back-and-watch?

"I never used those words," he cringed.

"You didn't have to. . . I'm not your bitch," she sniffed again.

"No, you are your own. . . person. . . _no one_ pulls your strings," he indulged in a sigh. "Would it help if I were to say that I am. . . sorry?" He was rewarded with a moment of silence.

"This must be serious. . ."

"He's trailing the miko, and I am afraid he's going to do something. . . stupid."

"What miko? You aren't making any sense."

"The girl. . . that project you told us about. . . her name is Kagome Higurashi."

"You lie. . . What's your game, Sesshoumaru?"

"No game. . . and _you of all people_ know damn well I do not lie."

He waited, knowing that she would need a moment to process what he had said.

"OK. . . I'll give you that," she broke the silence. "But you sure as Hell haven't been very forthcoming."

"I need you," he whispered.

"Call a detective. . . or go sniff him out yourself. You don't need me, tonight made that _abundantly _clear.

"Once again in your infinite wisdom, you presuppose my intentions, my Lady. . ."

"Right. . . So. . . _my Lord. . . _ just what the Hell _are _your intentions?"

"Kagura. . ." his whispered tone held a hint of longing. "I must see this thing through. And I know that you too, wish for him to be. . . content.

"Of course I do, If it weren't for him. . . and the others. . I. . ." She took a breath.

"This was not my story to tell, however. . . Events of the evening have brought me to the conclusion that it is in his best interest that I involve you. He's being headstrong. He wont listen to my reasoning. Perhaps he will listen to yours."

"He doesn't trust me, what makes you think he will listen?"

"He made certain your message was delivered to Mr. Andrews."

"You've seen Mike?"

"With the miko. . . it appears that they are. . . very close."

There was again a moment of silence as this took hold in her mind.

"Oh Gods! He isn't going to try to hurt him is he?"

"I don't think so, but at this point I find it impossible to be certain of anything," he knew that Michael was not the target of InuYasha's anger, however this would assure Kagura's assistance. "How quickly can you be ready?"

"Give me five minutes, where should I meet you?"

"Look out your window."

It took her three minutes, rather than five.

His eyes twinkled in the half light of the street lamps, as he watched her trot down to the car clasping her cell phone, hair down for a change, clad in a simple tee shirt and Capri britches. He noted the hint of swelling around her eyes, and felt a twinge of guilt.

"You're a pompous ass. You know that, right?" she greeted him as she climbed into the vehicle, to sit next to him.

"So I have heard," the edges of his lips curled slightly,

"You're always so sure you can bend me to your will." She fiddled with her phone, avoiding his eyes.

"No," his tone was firm. "I know that I can count on you to do the right thing. That is not bending, my Lady. . . That is trust." And he gently grasped her chin to peer down his nose into her eyes. "My dear, you have forgotten your contacts. . ." and he brushed his lips lightly across her eyes.

"Damn. . . I hate it when you do that. . ." she whispered. She then shook herself and pulled away from him to become all business. "Let's start at Mike's apartment, and go from there. . . any calls will come here," and she held up her cell phone.

"Do you think he would call at this hour?" He glanced at the clock.

"I'm hoping that he does. . . Getting my message via the two of you may jolt him enough to. I am thinking where ever he is, InuYasha won't be far."

"Agreed."

_ooO0Ooo_

Selene's keys jangled as she worked to open the two deadbolt locks on her front door.

"The nice thing about pulling special duty tonight is, I don't have to work tomorrow!" she announced brightly. "So more time for the beach!" She pushed her way into the door, leading the rest inside.

"Beach?" chirped Hojo. "As in. . . I bring my surfboard and you bring the beer kinda beach?"

"Won't you get your pocket protector wet, going surfing?" Kagome turned around in the hallway and eyed him with a smirk, as Michael shut the door behind them.

He was a surprising guy to say the least, definitely not what she had expected with Michael's brief description back in the hospital.

"It stays in the glove box along with my calculator and slide rule," joked the Engineering student. "Can't get those wet, being my livelihood and all!" he flashed that warm smile again and winked at her. "The laptop can come though, as long as it stays on the beach blanket."

"Who wants a beer!" called Selene from back in the kitchen, as Michael led the others to the living room. She joined them from another doorway holding a full six pack in her hand.

"I have to take care of something first," Michael muttered, exiting quickly through the same door she had entered. She turned to watch him, concern washing her features for a brief moment, then pulled out a beer and handed it to Hojo, who had seated himself on the couch. Kagome waved off her offer, and she shrugged, setting the carton on the coffee table she took one for herself and plopped into an easy chair.

Kagome dropped to the floor, sitting cross legged, listening to the flurry of activity going on in the kitchen. She cocked her head to watch the doorway, not noticing the odd look she was getting from Hojo.

Michael reappeared through the doorway, with a hammer and small container of tack nails. He stopped, putting both items in one hand he reached into a pocket to pull out a stack of Sutra.

"Inudono is one of 'em," he informed Selene with a pointed look. He then nodded to Kagome, raising the Sutra and went out the front door.

Selene's eyes followed him, and she sat staring at the wall for several seconds.

"So. . . That explains it," Selene watched Kagome for a minute. "Something about that guy set me on edge from the start."

"One of who? Or what?" Hojo's eyes danced between the two women.

"You can feel them too, then." Kagome met Selene's eyes. "Are you remembering more?" she asked hopefully. Selene looked down and shook her head slightly.

A series of taps reverberated through the house, and Hojo looked out the window with his brow furrowed. Leaning he could just see Michael, working on something near the front porch.

"What the heck is he doing? Repairs at two thirty in the morning?" his tone incredulous.

"He's trying to protect me. Those are wards," Kagome stated flatly.

Hojo turned back around raising his brow at her. He settled into the couch, and took a drink from his beer. So far they had made little or no sense to him, and she could tell it was beginning to get on his nerves. He stared at his beer bottle for a moment.

"Ok. . . so Mike is setting wards around your house, and you think that Inudono is a threat of some kind. He just said that he is one of 'them'. Them being. . . what? Some religious cult?" he ventured.

"Not a cult, Hojo. . ." Kagome tested the water, "You have been to the shrine, so you know something about the legends, right?"

"Sure. . . some of it," he replied leaning forward, "why?"

"Well, all legends. . . they have a basis in fact, right?" she noted that eyebrow coming up again. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"I suppose so. . . OK, I'll bite, what has this got to do with Seth Inudono?" he glanced back as a new series of tapping started just outside the open window.

"The sacred jewel. . . it was real," Kagome hesitated before taking the plunge. "And the youkai that she had to fight. . ." she swallowed noticeably, looking at the floor, "she had to kill, to get the pieces of it. . . they were real too."

Hojo's eyes didn't leave her for a long moment. His face was blank but slowly morphed into one of bright disbelief, a twinkle in his eye.

"You're kidding, right?" he grinned, certain a joke was being played on him. His eyes moved to Selene, who was not wearing a smile. She looked up at him, her expression all concern as she tipped her shoulders up in a light shrug.

"There, all done," Michael brushed his hands, "Nothing is getting past those, you can rest easier tonight, Kagome." He walked over to the coffee table to grab a beer. As he was opening it he realized no one was talking.

"So what you are trying to tell me is. . . There are youkai in San Francisco? And Seth Inudono is one of them?" Hojo's expression had become dubious at best, before he started laughing.

"Oh. . ." Michael took in the scene. He hadn't gotten that far in his little plot to bring the two of them together, and Hojo didn't appear to be buying the new information. He sat on the arm of Selene's chair and took a sip of his beer. He needed to think fast.

"Wait!" Kagome froze with one hand in the air, the other clutching at her chest. "The vandalism at the shrine. . ." she looked up sweeping the room. "They were looking for the Shikon!"

"But, it's not in Tokyo, Kagome. . ." Michael's brow furrowed. "You're apartment. . . oh god. . . is that what they were after?"

Selene sat up straight, nearly knocking Michael off the arm of her chair.

"He never used it. . . the grave! They must have thought he buried it with her. . . oh Kami!" Kagome gasped, both elated and frightened with the revelation.

"You two aren't making much sense." Hojo's laughter had died down as he listened to their exchange. "What happened with your apartment, Kagome?"

"Someone wrecked it. . . broke in and tore everything up," she shook her head. "Part of the list I was telling you about earlier. . ."

"But. . . I don't think Inudono did that damage, Kagome. . ." Selene finally spoke up. "I think he was there that day, the day I saw him. . . but the tests on the food decomposition suggest the damage was done days before. I don't know why he was there, but I don't think he tore your place up."

"Hey, guys! Hello!" Hojo waved his arms to get their attention. "Inudono is a mega philanthropist! It's well known that he contributes to _multiple_ charities, and even has a couple of scholarship programs at the university. . ." Hojo narrowed his eyes at Michael wondering how he could have forgotten that. "He's not a bad person. Kind of a shut in maybe, but who wouldn't be with all that money. He's probably got people bugging him all the time for something."

Kagome took this in. Hojo seemed to have a lot of respect for him. And Hojo was obviously an intelligent person. But, Hojo didn't believe there could be youkai in San Francisco.

"Why don't you show him," suggested Michael. Selene gasped, and he put his hand on her shoulder. He whispered in her ear, "If he's going to be around, he needs to know."

"He thinks youkai are a joke, Mikey. . ." Kagome countered, clasping at the jewel through her blouse. "I can't do this. . ." She needed to think. She needed fresh air.

"Show me what?" Hojo glanced around, noting the varying degrees of discomfort in the three of them.

"Now you know why I haven't called Windham," Michael muttered.

"Oh! I forgot! Windham left a message for you on my voice mail of all places." Hojo jumped up and pulled his cell out of his back pocket. He brought up the messages, and handed it to Michael.

"Damn. . . that woman never stops!" he grumbled as he brought the phone reluctantly to his ear.

"You never check your own messages, baka. . . she damn near filled mine up too. . ." Selene shot him a glare.

"I guess it's a good thing she doesn't know me. . ." Kagome pulled herself up. "I'll be back in a few minutes, I need. . . some alone time." She produced the business card and handed it to Michael. "Better call her. . . right now. At least let her know you are OK."

"But, it's after three in the morning. . ." Michael sighed at Kagome's back as she left the room.

After hearing the concern in his advisor's voice, his guilt had increased exponentially. Her personal number was on the card, and the word urgent had been used in both instances. "Fine, I'll call her." He pressed in the number, then looked around as Hojo and Selene watched him. "Happy now?" he snapped, rising to take the call to another room.

Kagome stepped onto the back porch of the ranch style home, noting the lack of stars in the sky, and the absence of any breeze. It was like the world was on hold, waiting for the dawn

Seating herself midway down the steps, she clasped the jewel through her blouse, visions of her wrecked apartment dancing in her head, followed by Hojo's incredulous laughter at the suggestion that youkai could possibly be real.

The stinging behind her eyes wasn't merely from being tired. She took in a deep breath of the early morning air, and hiccuped as she tried to fight the crying jag that was tugging at her.

Soon she would see for herself how bad the damage was at the shrine. She had managed to get a flight reservation for early June, though it had been tricky. Michael had walked in just as she was ending the call and she had made the excuse of needing to check her credit card balance.

The little lies were going to kill her.

Her heart broke at the thought of Kagome's grave being desecrated. Her guilt at the deception of making the reservation, the fear of coming face to face with such a powerful demon in the middle of the city, her mixed feelings about meeting Hojo, all came into one huge swelling in her chest.

There was a rustling in the leaves of the ancient walnut tree in the middle of Selene's yard, as Kagome finally allowed herself to cry. She pulled her hair loose, covering her face, knowing that at any moment one of them was going to come through that door.

She never had any privacy anymore. Everything in her life had changed in a weeks time. And it seemed as though every day that passed brought some new revelation, some new terror.

The door opened, just as she knew it would.

"Hey. . ." it was Michael. He sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Hey, yourself," she sniffed. Somewhere a dog growled, low and threateningly.

Michael looked up, still holding her as he glanced over at the north fence. "Johnson's get a new dog?"

"Dunno, maybe. . ." she sniffed again. "Go entertain your friend, Mikey. . . I just. . ."

"Want to cry your eyes out, unhindered?" he parted the tresses covering her face. "I just wanted to tell you I made that call. She was awake, believe it or not. I have to go see her on Monday."

"Good," she shook her head to hide behind her hair again. "She'll talk some sense into you. . . you can't quit." She hiccuped, then buried her face in her hands. "It's all my fault. . ." she sobbed .

"Nooo, honey," he wrapped both arms around her shaking frame, and kissed her hair. "I'm going to try to talk some sense into Hojo."

"He thinks we're all crazy, you know," she sniffled loudly. "I'll be in in a little while. . . OK?"

"Ok. . . I'm just a shout away, alright?" he kissed her hair one more time, noting the dog was sounding closer, and angrier. "Hm, must be a cat. . ." and he rose, leaving her to her alone time as he closed the door softly.

Kagome hugged her knees, resting her cheek on them with her hair still covering her face. Too much too fast, she prayed that Michael's adviser could convince him keep going. He would make a wonderful doctor.

"Why are you crying?" Kagome picked her head up, looking for the source of the inquiry. It was too dark, she could see only outlines of the trees in the yard. She backed up against the side of the house, preferring the solid feel of it on her back as her eyes continued to dart back and forth in the darkness.

"Wh. . . who's there?" she asked shakily, sniffing and wiping at her eyes. "I. . . I can't see you."

"Why are you crying. . . who made you cry, koi?" the disembodied voice was so gentle, it was almost familiar, yet she couldn't quite place it.

"No one made me cry, I just. . . needed to cry. . ." her furtive glances around the darkened yard finally found purchase on a figure half hidden by the walnut tree. "Why are you hiding in the yard?"

"Because I am not supposed to be here. . ." the figure moved hesitantly out from behind the tree. "But. . . I wanted to. . . see you. . ."

Kagome pushed herself more firmly against the wall, as the figure slowly approached.

"You. . . stay right there!" she ordered, pointing at him. "Who are you?"

The figure stopped, and raised his hands.

"They call me. . . Caleb," his eyes reflected the light from the windows, nearly glowing in the darkness. He reached a hand out to her. "C'mere a sec."

Caleb. She knew that name. But, she didn't know him. . . or did she? She hesitated, as she watched him wait in the yard patiently. Something about that voice.

She thought about calling out to Michael.

_Wait. . . Inudono! The brother. . . But why is he here?_

"I just. . . want to talk to you," came her answer, as though he could read her mind. He moved only one step closer, his hand still outstretched. "I could never hurt you, Kagome. . . please?"

The way he said her name was different, and yet familiar. Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, to stretch out her senses. _Odd. . . I don't get that 'feeling' about him. But his brother is very strong. . ._

Her mind spun through all the good things Hojo had said about Inudono. And now she was confronted with Caleb beckoning her out into the darkness. She took a tentative step down the stairs, clutching at the jewel, well hidden in her blouse.

"I need. . . you," his voice was low, compelling. She felt an unexplainable pull toward it, like a moth toward a flame.

"Why?" she asked plainly, as she edged her way closer. "You aren't. . . like your brother."

"No, we had different mothers," he explained, drawing toward her to close the distance, his hand still out.

"So. . . you are. . . half?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah," he took her hand and pulled her gently away from the house and behind the tree, to just stand there looking at her. On seeing the color of his eyes, Kagome gasped and reached to push his hat back.

"Your eyes. . . are amazing," she blushed at her own forwardness, then asked, "Why are we hiding, Caleb?"

"Your friends, I don't think they'd like it that I'm here, and I know my jackass brother would be pissed. That one in the brown sweatshirt, that guy. . . he upset you didn't he," he nodded toward the house.

"You call your brother a jackass?" she couldn't imagine anyone calling Seth Inudono a jackass, after all she had heard about him.

"Well, he is a _jackass,_" he reached to take a strand of her hair, and pull it to his nose. Just as expected her scent was different, and yet. . . she was the same. He gazed into her eyes.

"Why are you smelling my hair?"

"Because. . . it's your hair," he smiled. "It smells good."

Kagome blushed deeply and looked down avoiding his gaze_. . . those incredible eyes. Just like. . ._ her hand shot to her mouth, with a quick intake of breath.

"Oi, wench. What is it?" he crooked a finger to her chin bringing her attention back to his eyes.

"What a funny thing to call me," she mused. _Of course, if he's hanyou, then he would have eyes like. . . _

"You haven't answered my question," he prodded gently.

His head jerked suddenly as off in the distance someone whistled shrilly. This had agitated him, and Kagome watched his expression go from one of warmth, to hostility in a fraction of a second.

"What is it, Caleb?" she touched his arm, reassuringly. "Just someone calling in their dog."

"I have to go, damnit!" his voice was dark. Then he grabbed her shoulders with an intensity in his gaze that took her breath. "Can I see you? Without the shadows I mean. . ." he glanced toward the house.

"I think I would like that," she smiled up at him, and it melted the intensity in his gaze to the one of warmth again. "I would like that very much, Caleb."

The shrill whistle repeated, a little closer this time.

"I'm coming, asshole. . ." he muttered to the side, as he leaned down to rub noses with her, then gently brush his lips against hers.

The gesture was more intimate than even Michael would dare, and her cheeks bloomed as her heart began to dance. He then moved away from her into the darkness so swiftly it was if he had never been there at all. _Just like a dream. . ._

_ooO0Ooo_

Just as Sesshoumaru was about to pierce the night with another summons through the open window, the hanyou dropped in front of him, glowering.

"You can knock that shit off now, asshole. . . I'm fuckin' here." He climbed into the vehicle, a look of shock gracing his features as he found Kagura seated next to his brother. "We havin' a party?"

"I enlisted Kagura's assistance in finding you. . . You owe me for the mess you left behind at the restaurant," even with the reprimanding tone, there was a hint of relief in Sesshoumaru's voice.

"So. . . She knows, huh?" he picked up Tetsusaiga and laid it across his lap.

"Tell me, _PLEASE_ that you didn't hurt Mike. . ." her eyes flashed red.

"I couldn't hurt the monk. . ." InuYasha returned her stare with a glower. "Anyway he didn't do nothin' wrong. It was that other jerk that had his hands all over her."

"Monk?" her brow furrowed.

"Yeah, your guy, Michael. . . he's Miroku," his expression became wistful. "I told her to go on with the others, I guess that's what she did."

"Does he know this?" she demanded. "Does Kagome know who you think she is?"

"Not _think_. . . it's her alright," he sat back in his seat. "And she remembers me, she kept staring into my eyes like she was trying to remember, anyway. As for him, I don't know. I didn't talk to him."

"InuYasha," his name pulled his attention to his brother. "You spoke with her?"

"She was crying. . . you know how I hate it when she cries," his defense was shaky at best, but it would have to do. "Yeah, I talked to her. . . and she said she would see me again," he smiled. "Only next time, no sneakin' around. . . And before you ask it, she calls me Caleb, satisfied?"

"I wonder what all this has to do with Michael wanting to leave the doctoral program. . ." Kagura fingered her chin.

_ooO0Ooo_

Kagome fairly floated back into the house, where she washed her face at the kitchen sink, then tied her hair back. She wasn't certain what it was about Caleb that struck her, but something had.

Maybe it was that he had followed her, just to talk to her and smell her hair.

Normally that would seem pretty strange, even upsetting, but there was a sweetness about how he had approached her that pulled at her heart.

As she dried her face, she could hear the others in the living room.

"No seriously, I own a surfboard and I know how to use it!" Hojo insisted.

"This I have GOT to see, what's the forecast for tomorrow?" Michael laughed.

_So Hojo is going with us tomorrow. . . _

"This overcast is supposed to blow over by noon," the tone in Selene's voice suggested she was ready for the day to end. "Randy is expecting us around five, but I can call her. . . after I get some shut eye."

"I think that's our cue, buddy. . ." Michael rose just as Kagome entered the room.

"You OK, honey?" asked Selene with a worried tone.

"I'm fine. . ." Kagome brushed at her lips with the tips of her fingers, a hint of a smile on her face. "Just tired. . . I think I will go to bed, if you don't mind."

"We were just going," Michael pulled Selene up from her seat into a warm embrace, and a kiss that would have made Hollywood proud.

Kagome averted her eyes and waited for the resounding slap that was certain to follow.

"Kagome," Hojo rose and moved toward her, "I want to apologize if I offended you."

"It's OK, Hojo. . . you don't have to," her smile faded. "I know it all sounds pretty. . . outlandish, to say the least."

Drawing close to her, he put one hand gently on the back of her neck as the other pulled at the leather cord that was holding the Jewel. She raised her hand to stop him.

"Let me see it," he asked.

"To what end?" she asked curtly. "It's not like it involves you."

"It. . . could. . ." his eyes held a question that she didn't understand.

She didn't _want to_ understand.

_ooO0Ooo_

A/N: OK, another chapter down! Just want to thank the reviewers again, I appreciate your comments. I am amazed, to say the least that this fic broke 5,000 hits the other day. Thank you for following me along on this venture!

ADSV : Thank you so much for your thoughts! The card was simply an introduction, with a msg to Michael to call his advisor Immediately! Sesshoumaru's intentions were to actually speak to her, but then Sally showing up fubar'd that plan. As for rodeos, well... it's not rodeo season yet, and at the rate that this is progressing chronologically it won't be til like chapter 157... so perhaps that could happen in a different fic, ne? Yippy Cay Ye Hanyou! (I'm losin it, I know it)

skeptic : It's becoming a trend! eeeps!

J. Travis : That's how I feel about this, it is my outlet as well as practice in an artform I have loved since I started reading at the age of 3. Your praise is most flattering, and I thank you.

Neckroz209 : yes indeed! and good luck with that!

Until Next Time!

metsuki


	32. Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty One

"Here, try these," Selene pulled out yet another pair of shorts for Kagome to try on. "So what do you think of Hojo?"

"Um. . . he's everything Mikey said he is. . . but, he forgot to mention the 'good looking' and 'touchy feely' part," she unzipped the cutoffs to pull them off.

They had been at it for an hour of 'try this one', and nothing fit. Kagome was tired of changing clothes.

"So you don't like him touching you so much?" Selene sat back on the bed watching Kagome's reaction.

"I'm just not used to it, I guess. . . Look Sally, I am about ready to write this off as a total loss, and just go buy a damn swimsuit," she sighed looking at the pile of clothes on the floor. "Oh! What am I thinking? I can't keep the Jewel hidden in a swimsuit!"

"We don't really have time to go buy anything, the guys will be here in half an hour. . ." Selene looked at the leather cord that was securing the Jewel. "I think I might have an idea. . . wait right here," she got up and left the half naked Kagome scratching her mussed head.

She was barely awake when they had started, she needed more coffee. Selene had called her cousin and gotten approval for an earlier arrival and the added guest, meaning Hojo. Kagome sighed. It was as if she had no say in the matter of his coming into her life.

"Isn't there a mall on the way there?" Kagome called out, as she reached for her only pair of jeans off the floor.

"Oh! You're right! I doubt the guys will want to go shopping though. . ." Selene returned with an ornate jewelry box in her hand. "I keep this around for repairs and stuff, I think I have something in here that will work better than that cord."

"I can just roll these up if I decide to go shelling or something," Kagome zipped her jeans resignedly, and reached for her tee shirt. Selene was busy at work with a pair of needle nosed pliers on a length of heavy gaged gold tone wire. Kagome watched along in fascination as she formed a spiraled cage.

"Here, put the Jewel in this," she said holding up her work. Kagome did as she was bid, first loosening the knot on the cord, then pulling the Jewel from the knotted basket Michael had fashioned for her on such short notice.

Selene then continued her work, bending the wire completely around the jewel so that it was encased, with a double loop at the top..

"There, now you can secure it anywhere you want." She handed the glowing bauble back to Kagome. "On your neck with a chain, or that leather if you want. High, low. . . even in your hair, or around your waist."

Kagome examined the finished product. It was not only serviceable, it was quite pretty. Selene dug in the box and pulled out a gold Figaro chain, handing it to her.

"That's only 10 karat, so it's pretty tough. Try it and see if it's long enough," Selene smiled at Kagome's expression.

"Oh, Sally. . . this is too much. . ." she held the Jewel up and slipped the chain through the two loops. "would you?" she asked as she turned lifting her hair.

"I think it's just the right length," Selene secured the lobster clawed clasp, and turned Kagome around. It fell exactly between her breasts. "Just don't wear any really low cut stuff," she grinned.

"Like I would in the first place," Kagome smirked. She slipped the Jewel down into her sports bra, feeling its pulse next to her heart. "With the right style of suit though, this would work." She pulled on her tee-shirt.

"Let's see what the guys think, maybe they can do the beer run while we make a dash through the mall. . ." Selene grinned. "_Power shop_!" she pumped her arms as though running.

Kagome laughed, her spirits lifting, as she started to pick up the clothes off the floor. Selene joined her, and quickly they had the mess in order.

"Coffee. . ." Kagome moaned heading to the kitchen. "Hey," she called as she reached for the coffee pot, "what's on the menu tonight? Isn't you cousin a veggie?"

"I think she's seen the error of her ways, she said something about venison. . . her new boyfriend is a . . . sportsman," Selene came into the kitchen. "It's really odd that she would team up with someone like that, but then it hasn't been that long since she decided to give up 'anything with a face'. She dropped a lot of weight, had me kinda worried."

"You really need to know what you're doing when you make that kind of change," Kagome sipped at her coffee. "I knew a girl in school who ended up in the hospital, she became so anemic."

"She told me that he rags on her constantly about her eating. . . I guess I should thank him,"she grinned. "So, how do we tell if he's a good guy or a bad guy?"

This got Kagome's attention. She looked up at Selene, her brow furrowed. _Is there a way to tell?_

"I wish I knew. . ." she finally answered. "But if he's so attentive to her, he can't be all bad, ne?"

Suddenly there was a raucous knocking at the door. Selene glanced at the clock, and then nodded to Kagome. The men had arrived.

"Good grief! I haven't even brushed my hair!" Kagome ran to lock herself in the bathroom. As she ran the brush through her hair, she tried to analyze the sense of apprehension that was creeping over her.

She could hear the others joking beyond the door, and wondered why it was that she seemed to be so out of sync with them. She had never felt that way with Michael and Selene before. It had to be Hojo. _Why are they pushing him on me?_

"'Gome! Hurry up!" Selene called to her. "That is _IF_ you want to go _POWER SHOPPING!_"

Kagome took one last look in the mirror. _It'll have to do. . ._

As she exited the bathroom, she was met with Hojo's warm, brown eyed smile. _Why does he have to be so nice? Why does he have to look at me. . . like that?_

"Kagome. . ." he wrapped his arms around her. "It's good to see you again."

"Um. . ." her eyes darted around for a reasonable response. "It's good to see you too," she forced a smile, pushing away from the embrace while patting the middle of his chest gently. "Ready to go surfing?" she prayed her cheerful tone didn't sound too forced.

"I understand you need to make a stop on the way," his arms were still out as though poised for another hug. "Anything you need. . . I would be honored. . . if you would allow me."

"Don't be silly, Hojo! My _entire life_ just landed in a dumpster!" She looked up to find hurt disappoint written all over his face. _That was mean. . . _

"You're still mad about last night," he frowned. "I can't blame you, I would be too."

"I just want to see if I can find something suitable for the beach today. That's all. I can handle it." She stroked his arm reassuringly.

"'Gome, c'mere and show Mikey your new necklace!" came a reprieve from Selene.

Kagome walked into the kitchen where they were standing and pulled out the Jewel to show Michael. He reached out to touch the chain, pulling the wire work around the Jewel up for closer examination.

"See? It's purtiful, ne?" She grinned, winking at Selene.

"Kami. . . You weren't shitting me!" gasped Hojo from behind her as he saw the Jewel for the first time.

Kagome twisted her neck around at the profanity and stared at Hojo over her shoulder. _Well, maybe he will believe the rest of it with time. But, what's the point? I'm going to Tokyo, and I'm going to find InuYasha. . ._

"Very nicely done, my dear. . . very nicely done," proclaimed Michael, kissing his intended chastely on the cheek. "Shall we be off, then? Sand and surf awaits!"

Kagome slipped the Jewel back into her shirt, wondering if Michael had warned Hojo about Miranda's boyfriend. _Probably not. . ._

_ooO0Ooo_

They probably should have taken two cars, but Selene had insisted they all ride together, and mercifully chose softer music for the trip. Kagome wasn't certain if it was a 'strength in numbers' philosophy or if it was a plot to get the two of them in the back seat together. She strongly suspected the latter, after the music was changed from the customary heavy metal to Spanish guitar.

Hojo's arm was draped around her shoulders in possessive fashion, which she tried very hard to ignore. It wasn't working. She was beginning to wonder if she was going to have any say at all in having a relationship with this man.

As they approached the mall, Kagome caught sight of a white stretch limousine. The fact that it was parked in front of a motorcycle dealership struck her as a little odd, until she spied a pair of familiar figures speaking with a salesman. _Caleb. . ._

Craning her neck as they drove by caught Hojo's attention, who in turn twisted to see what was of such interest to her.

"Seems he's getting around," he commented softly in her ear. "I looked him up on line this morning, it appears that his younger brother Caleb was missing for a number of years, and he just found him last week in Japan. There was something about amnesia in the article."

This news caught her attention and she turned to face him, forgetting that he was so close to her ear. Their noses brushed, and she backed away with an embarrassed giggle, touching her nose.

"Sorry," she apologized, still grinning.

"Don't be," he smiled pulling her hand from her face, his eyes focusing on her mouth. "That was kind of. . . nice."

"It must be pretty scary to not remember who you are," she looked down at her hands, avoiding his gaze. "I'm not sure which is worse, not remembering or remembering too much."

That cryptic statement caused Hojo to sit back in his seat, abandoning his attempt at a 'first kiss'. He did not remove his arm from around her shoulders, however while Selene deftly swung into a parking space which had just been vacated, and turned off the engine.

Michael, was grinning ear to ear, having surreptitiously watched the unfolding scene in the back seat, though unable to hear the dialog. He glanced back to meet Kagome's glare, and quickly schooled his expression, clearing his throat.

"Ok. . . you boys can go do the arcade thing, while we girls go do the clothes thing, sound good?" Selene suggested as she opened her door.

"Oh. . ." Hojo looked disappointed. "I was looking forward to helping Kagome pick something out."

Michael stared at him with disbelief. He mouthed the words ' _are you NUTS_?'

"That's my job, surfer boy." Selene grinned at the exchange between the men. "You would probably like something that's totally inappropriate, anyway. I mean, knowing who you keep company with." She smirked at Michael, who shrugged innocently. "Ok, on the count of three. . . one. . . two. . . THREE! POWER SHOP!"

All four piled out of the car running full speed toward the doors of the mall, Hojo lagging slightly at first not knowing the routine. Once inside they split off in two directions, Michael having to snag Hojo by the sleeve to tug him away from Kagome and toward the arcade, nearly pulling the man off his feet in the process.

Selene and Kagome ran into the department store, and through it to the women's department, laughing heartily as astonished shoppers gaped at them. Kagome stopped at the swimming suits, and began quickly rifling through the hangers making editorial noises in the process. Selene hit another rack and began doing the same, sans the editorial.

"Feh. . . Blech. . . mmm. . . ugh. . . ah. . . OH NO. . ." Kagome commented shaking her head.

"Ooo. . . lemme see the OH NO, 'Gome!" Selene peeked up over her rack.

Kagome held up a fishnet woven string bikini barely draped on the hanger. Selene looked at it, then looked Kagome over, and tilted her head with a raised brow, grinning as she nodded rapidly.

"OH NO! The doc said I have to keep my incision out of the sun for SIX MONTHS!" It was her best excuse, and she used it proudly. "How many you got?"

"Three. . . you?" Selene replied.

"Me too, lets go!" and they darted to the dressing rooms.

ooOO0OOoo

"Ok, so tell me, doctor," Hojo aimed the rifle at the buck that wandered onto the screen, "is she really that shy, or is she just playing hard to get?" He fired five times rapidly to watch the buck wander off the screen again.

"Kagome is an innocent, I told you that. I don't think she would know _how_ to play hard to get. She's never been. . . _caught_." Michael pursed his lips, folding his arms across his chest. "Maybe we should play something else?"

"She seems obsessed with Inudono. . ." Hojo aimed at the bear this time, a slower target. "Why is that, Mike?" He again fired five times rapidly and stood back to watch the bear amble off the screen.

"I'm sure it's because she doesn't know why he approached her, or whether she can trust him." Michael grabbed the rifle away from Hojo with a pointed look, and dropped it into it's rack, clearly ending the session. "He's only the second either of us has come into any close contact with," Michael scratched at his chin, looking around for something less challenging for them to play. "Today will be interesting, good chance of number three."

"Oh really? And you expect this to happen where?" Hojo still didn't quite sound convinced.

"Miranda's," Michael paused a moment, realizing that he hadn't mentioned this little detail. "Selene suspects that Miranda's new beau is actually. . . one of them."

"What would make her think something like that?" Hojo leaned against the game console, folding his arms.

"Changes in her attitude, and some of the things she told Sally that the guy had said. . . just a real 'pro youkai' philosophy," he glanced around to be certain he hadn't drawn any attention with use of the term.

"I feel like I have been sleeping under a rock, you talk about this so easily," Hojo pulled away from the console. "Wanna drink? I'm thirsty."

"Yeah, sure," Michael glanced at his watch. "If you wait another thirty seconds, the girls can join us. . ."

"Huh?" Hojo stopped to watch Michael do a countdown. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope, I know how much Sally hates to shop. . ." he grinned and raised his right hand with two fingers out, dropping it with the count. "Ten. . . nine. . . eight. . . seven. . ."

"Oh for Pete's sake!" Hojo was near to laughing.

"Three. . . two. . . one. . ." Michael looked up and grinned at Hojo's expression as the two women darted into the arcade, giggling with their cheeks flushed from the run. "You find what you needed?"

"mmhmm," they affirmed nodding in unison, eyes bright.

The sight of Kagome, flushed and smiling moved Hojo into compulsion. His actions purely instinctive, he rushed to her and grabbed her into a bear hug, sweeping her off of her feet as he buried his face into her neck.

"Hojo!" she squealed as Selene and Michael gasped, jaws nearly hitting the floor. "What are you doing?" She slapped at his arms, her shopping bag flailing.

He set her down reluctantly with a sheepish grin. Backing up a step, he glanced back at Michael, embarrassment apparent on his face.

"I'm sorry, it's just. . ." he looked into her eyes, "you're just so beautiful. . . I couldn't help myself."

Kagome couldn't close her mouth, as she gaped him, then at Michael and Selene.

"Well, I hate to admit this. . ." Selene ventured, "but I am envious. Yo, monk! Where's mine?"

"My dear Selene. . . He may be younger and faster. . . but I have experience and passion," he winked as he drew her into an embrace, whispering into her ear, "and a lifetime lost to make up for."

"Promise to stay with me this time? I couldn't do it without you before, I can't now. . ." her whispered words caused him to draw back and look into her eyes.

The haunted expression that he didn't care to see there told him that she was remembering more than she claimed.

"I promise you. . . I swear to you. . . I will _never_ leave you like that again." It was a sacred vow he offered her, and she accepted it as such. "Look at us now. . . I never really left you," and he kissed her softly.

"Wow. . . well, I know when I am outclassed," Hojo grinned, leaning on one hip as he observed the scene.

A pair of warm golden eyes, and lips that were rose petal soft drifted through Kagome's mind. She darted a guilty glance at Hojo. _Just let me get through this day. . . Kami don't let him fall in love with me! I can't return it. . ._

"Hey, let's go! Sun's a wastin'!" Kagome urged them.

"Ok, InuYasha. . . sheesh!" Selene mumbled, to Michael's astonishment.

"What did you just say?" Kagome didn't believe she had heard correctly.

"You know damn well what I said! You sound just like your mate, I swear his impatience rubbed off on you!" Selene accused with a good natured grin.

"I hope. . . when you say mate. . . you mean a _really_ good friend. . ." Hojo was once again perplexed.

"Oh. . .um. . ." Selene blanched.

Kagome saw her chance and she took it. _He's already too attached. . ._

"No, Hojo. . ." she turned to him, "she means my life mate. . . my lover, my husband," She looked up at him pointedly, ". . . the other half of me. . ." she trailed off. Having intended to make a point, she had caused a horrible hollow place to form in her midsection instead. "Can we just GO, already?"

"Mike. . ." Hojo looked lost.

Kagome grabbed Selene's arm and pulled her forcefully out of the arcade, needing desperately to just get outside. _That was being mean again. . . I hate it when I am mean. . . He can't have my heart, it already belongs to someone else. . . I just need to find him. _

"I'm so sorry 'Gome," Selene shook her head, looking as though she were about to cry. "I spoke before I thought, I am so so sorry."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Hojo is in a hurry for something. . . something I don't have to give to him. All you did was make it possible for me to acknowledge my own heart.

"But. . . you can't think that. . ." she couldn't say it.

"That _he's_ out there somewhere? I sure as Hell _can_ think it. . . You used to tease me about it, remember? Being in love with the hanyou. . . well, now I know _why_."

"The monk says he's dead, Kagome. . . that he's not out there," Selene eyes carried a deep sadness.

Kagome stopped walking.

"He can't possibly know," she responded shaking her head. "Shippou said he hadn't seen him, that he assumed that he had used the Jewel. . . but I have the Jewel now, so. . . he didn't. . . so he's got to be out there, somewhere."

"What if he did die? What will you do then?" Selene was becoming frantic, she knew where this was going.

"Then I will keep looking for him, because _I am here_, right? Then he has to be. . . _somewhere_." Kagome's jaw was set, and Selene knew there was no more discussion when that happened.

The men were slowly approaching them, holding an animated discussion in heated whispers. Both of them gesturing for emphasis in turn on some point.

Selene busied herself by checking the clamps on the roof which were holding the surf board in place, then unlocked the car, casting a glance at Kagome who for all intent was pouting in the best hanyou fashion. She looked angry with her arms folded and hint of a scowl on her face, almost as if she were daring someone to flick that invisible chip off her shoulder.

"Are we ready yet?" Kagome for all effect growled with a raised brow at the two men.

"Yes, my dear Kagome, we are quite ready now," Michael placated.

Selene changed her music selection to her standard, and the rest of the ride to Miranda's beach house was made in merciful silence. That is, other than the wild guitar riffs.

Kagome laid her head against the back of the seat, and pulled up her Tree, and again there were those amazing, warm, golden eyes superimposed on the serene scene. Eyes so much like. . . _Caleb's. . ._

_ooO0Ooo_

"Oi! Woman! What the _hells _do you think you are doing?" Kouga's snarl brought Miranda to pause, bent in half over the huge stainless steel tub.

"I _think _that I am putting ice in this tub, here. . ." she straightened up, arching against the pull on her lower back., "so the beer will stay cold?" She turned to face her mate, amazed as always at the intensity in his eyes.

Her own eyes traced his frame appreciatively, the changes with his new wardrobe were less than subtle, but he was still her Kouga. Jeans and a tee shirt, standard beach bum wear for today, though he had a variety of options in her closet now.

She had talked him into wearing his hair down, pulled over his delicious, however startlingly unique ears. She had returned his headband, when he presented her with one of her own, very similar though her band was a soft cream color.

"That's not for you. . . to do work like that. . . you should make Ginta do it." He stood proudly in his best 'Peter Pan' pose with his hands on his hips, though the effect was lost somewhere with the new attire and the absence of his sword. "Or call for me, I would do it. . . You should be resting after this morning. . ." his eyes were softer than his tone, with a hint of worry behind them.

"It's nothing, I was a little nauseous. . ." she waved it off and offered him a toothy smile, drawing close to enough to drape her arms over his shoulders. "It's to be expected with the diet changes, lover."

"You puked. . . several times. . . and it's not the _damn diet changes_," he drew her close and placed his hand on her abdomen, stroking gently. "Please. . . go easy, koishii."

"I just want everything nice, I don't entertain often. . ." she nuzzled his neck, instinctively drawing her tongue across her mark, drawing a low moan from him. "I think you will like my cousin, she's a lot of fun."

"You need to stop that, my mate. . . or we'll be too busy with our own fun when she gets here," he chuckled, running his hands along the lines of her back."Come, sit with me," he drew her to the steps, and they sat with her back to his, as he rested his chin on her shoulder, stroking her stomach soothingly.

The sun was high, and it was warm and breezy as the salt air brushed lightly at their hair.

Miranda couldn't help but sigh contentedly. Not only had he returned to her, but he had stayed with her, leaving only for short periods to hunt or fish. Her freezer was full now, with a variety of things which all had faces at one time, though this didn't seem to bother her as much as she would have thought.

She winced as she remembered the altercation between them the first time he brought her a fish. _On her protest that 'it has a face' he had abruptly decapitated the thing with his claw, and announced 'Not anymore, wench. . . NOW will you fucking eat it?' It had taken several hours of heated discussion before she finally acquiesced and had a small portion. _

The making up had been the best part, that was when she had gotten to bite him back. . . not realizing that in doing so she sealed their union, effectively making herself the chief's mate and some kind of royalty with their tribe, and that made Kouga very happyShe didn't understand it all, but that was alright for now.

Miranda ran through her to do list mentally, hoping she had not left anything unfinished.

"Stop that. . ." he murmured in her ear. "Every thing's fine. . . every thing's perfect."

"What, you read my mind now?" she grinned, putting her hand over his on her abdomen.

"Nah. . . I read your scent," he kissed her neck.

"So, you're saying. . . I stink?" she teased.

"Like a flower does. . ." she could feel his smile against her neck. "You are my flower. I have to be careful to not _crush you,_" he squeezed her tightly, which made her laugh.

His head perked up at a far sound that she couldn't hear.

"What is it?" she looked up at his chiseled features, intent on what he was hearing.

"Someone comes. . . I hear. . . loud music," his eyes widened slightly. "and I feel something. . . spiritual power, it can't be just one person."

"That would be Selene with her music. . . the power. . ." she thought a moment, still unable to hear what he did, "that would most likely be Kagome."

He nearly knocked her off the step as he jumped up.

"Kagome!" he stared at her wide eyed. "You said her friend was a _school teacher_, you said NOTHING about a Priestess!"

Miranda smiled, rising from her seat when she realized that the name meant something to him. _So. . . I did something right for a change. . ._

"Think of it as a. . . wedding present of sorts. . ." she kissed his cheek lightly, and went inside for one last check of her appearance, no sense in shocking Selene too abruptly.

_ooO0Ooo_

As they turned onto the beach side road, Hojo perked up from his pout in the back seat. He sat forward and watched the surf with an excitement and longing that made Kagome smile. She liked to see people happy, and it was apparent that the beach made Hojo very happy.

She had to admit to herself that she really did enjoy the candor and openness of his expressions. Just so long as they weren't directed at her personally. That made her uneasy, and a bit guilty. Though she wasn't certain exactly what it was she had to be guilty for. She hadn't asked for him to be plopped into her life.

In fact she had warned Michael to _not do_ something like this. _Why would he do it anyway?_

They pulled up to a lone house of wind roughened wood, along a stretch of pristine beach. There was a small garden in the front, and a sliding glass door on the south side that opened to a small deck area that was festooned with plants.

Kagome noted a striking figure of a man with long black hair standing there, and as they pulled in to park he was joined by an equally striking woman with rich auburn hair. The man was definitely youkai.

"What an amazing spot! It's like. . . no one is around!" Hojo gasped, jumping out of the car and working on the clamps to his board.

"Mikey. . ." Kagome hesitated. "He won't say anything about the Jewel will he?"

"Oh, hell. . ." and Michael jumped out of the car to grab Hojo.

"Well. . ." Selene smiled at her cousin and waved, holding up one finger. "He is one, isn't he?"

"Yes," Kagome affirmed. "Now we just figure out if he's a good guy or a bad guy, right?"

"No time like the present," and she climbed out of the car, followed by Kagome.

"Sally!" Miranda called trotting down the stairs to give her cousin a hug.

"Woman! DAMNIT!" Kouga followed her, looking like he was about tear her to pieces.

Kagome blanched at the fierceness of that look, stopping in her tracks.

"Oh stop it! Kouga I am fine! I can still walk!" she argued as she hugged Selene a second time. "He's entirely overprotective. Come here, and meet Sally. . ."

"Have you been sick?" Selene asked with concern. "Is today a bad day for this?"

"No, just a little nausea is all, seems to hit in the mornings. But I am great for the afternoons!" Miranda beamed, then glanced at Kagome, who was anxiously holding back. "You must be Kagome, don't be shy!" and she beckoned to her.

Kouga froze for a moment, eying the miko. She wasn't the same girl. Had he really expected her to be the same girl? But this one was every bit as powerful, maybe more so.

"Randy. . . are you pregnant?" Selene asked, wide eyed. Miranda glanced back at Kouga, who met her gaze with a hint of pride.

"It's looking that way," she blushed.

"No, not showing yet," Kouga interjected, reaching his hand around his mate, to hold her abdomen. "But I know," he nuzzled her neck.

"Have we met before, Kouga?" Kagome asked, moving closer to them, tilting her head slightly. "Something about you is very. . . familiar. . ."

"Your name. . . I once new a girl. . ." he trailed off, then shook himself. "But that was a long time ago."

Michael and Hojo joined the group, Hojo carrying his surfboard.

"This girl, she was a miko?" Kagome pried, peering at him.

"Mikey! Hojo. . . is it? Come, I have a tub of beer just waiting for you!" Miranda bid them follow her. "Selene, you brought your guitar? Where is it?" she called back.

"Oh! It's in the trunk," and Selene ran back to the car.

"Yes, the girl. . . she was a miko," his gaze pierced through her eyes, like he was trying to identify something deeper. "She was. . . a dear person to me."

Kagome had to school her features. This was amazing, it was unbelievable, she hadn't felt an immediate sense of kinship with Shippou consciously, but she did with this demon. Perhaps the link between this life and the last was growing stronger. Perhaps more of her relationships with demons had been friendship, rather than enemies. Kouga did not feel like an enemy.

"Kagome Higurashi, the miko. . . was my ancestor," she ventured. "You must be. . . very ancient if you knew her."

Selene returned holding her guitar bag to hear the last of this. Her eyes narrowing on the demon, she straightened, widening her stance as if ready for attack.

"What possessed you to take my cousin as mate?" she demanded. "Don't you have enough females of your own kind?"

Kouga stared at the obviously angry woman in front of him. Kagome held a hand out in front of Selene, a gesture bidding her to stop and calm down.

"You don't like me. . . that's OK. . . I love Miranda, and she is my woman," he returned the glare, "and there is nothing you can do to change that. It's done."

On hearing these words Kagome's head tilted to the side, as she had a brief bright flash of memory. _Shards . . . he had shards, and he needed me to find more. . . no, wait. . . he needed me to find a particular shard, to stop the attacks on his people. . . "I love Kagome! She is my woman!" but. . . I wasn't. . . my heart belonged to someone else. . . InuYasha, please save me!_

"Kami!" she exclaimed. It was possibly the strongest memory so far, and it frightened her and elated her at the same time. She looked around herself, trying to focus on the here and now, working to ground herself.

Selene watched her friend blank and then come back, looking at Kouga with a strange sense of astonishment. Michael saw this too, and came running down the stairs to join them.

"What did you say to her?" he demanded, putting a protective arm around Kagome.

"I spoke to Sally, not her. . ." an air of confusion around him, he gestured toward Selene who was still in combat stance. "Isn't that other guy Kagome's man? Where is he? She reeks as much of you as Sally here! Some of him, but more of you. . ."

"Kouga! Settle down, lover. . ." Miranda rushed to diffuse the situation. "They are all pack mates. . . of course she carries his scent." She stroked his arm soothingly.

"I see we have some cultural differences to work through," Michael muttered as Kagome pushed away from him, and offered them all a bright smile.

"I'm fine! I just remembered something that I didn't remember forgetting, but it's OK now, because Kouga and Miranda just look so. . . Happy together! Don't they?" she fairly well gushed. "Did you say you have some beer, Miranda? I'm thirsty!"

They could see Hojo down on the beach waxing his board, as they all went to the deck. He had stripped down to his swim shorts, and Kagome couldn't help herself as she ogled him sans clothing. The man just looked nice, even if he was the only one around with hair shorter than his shoulders. Michael saw this and grinned.

"You _are _going to explain that little episode back there to me later, aren't you?" He whispered in her ear.

"Which one?" she smirked before drinking deeply on her beer. She was determined to have some fun today, now that she had concluded that Kouga was no threat.

"Hm. . . good point. . ." and he watched Hojo run out into the surf with his board.

_ooO0Ooo_

A/N : I am updating now because I have a busy week and it may be a few days before I can get the next chapter finished. I am having too much fun with these characters, I am turning into a bit of a sadist with poor Hojo **Sigh** never knew I had it in me.

Gotta rush off and get ready for work now, so will do review responses on the next post, THANK you for the wonderful words of encouragement! You guys are the greatest!

Until Next Time!

metsuki


	33. Chapter Thirty Two

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Thirty Two

InuYasha sat on the massive stairs of the Inudono mansion, a solitary spot of black interrupting the pristine whiteness that glowed with the rising sun. He reflected on the events of the past 12 hours. One thing was for certain, this modern era was fast paced, and it allowed little time to think.

The fog had begun to break early, and it left a mist that pooled around the foothills like low smoke. His ears twitched under his hat, following the early morning sounds of birdsong, distant surf, barking seals, and off in the distance, the increased drone of the city as it awoke and stretched with the new day.

He closed his eyes, and imagined Kagome as she would pull herself slowly, hesitantly from her slumber. . . just as he had watched her do so often. . . a lifetime. . . only, now seeing her as _this _woman. It wasn't hard to do. _She may be a different person, but she is still. . . my Kagome. . . Kami, but she is beautiful. . ._

Though she was taller now, he had still needed to bend to touch noses with her. Reflecting on that moment brought a smile to his face. The way her eyes lit up when he had done it, surely she had to have some memory of him.

The way she moved toward him almost immediately when he beckoned her, even though he was a virtual stranger. _Yeah, she remembers. . ._ and what she didn't, he would help her to.

He just needed to get loose from the tether that Sesshoumaru had on him. A motorcycle was his ticket to freedom from the jackass. Kami only knows what the asshole was cooking up with Kagura for his benefit. He hated being made to feel like he was an arrant child, and they had done a good job of rubbing his nose into it last night. _The fuck head had to know better than to get between me and Kagome. . . he's just as arrogant as he ever was, to think he could actually stop me._

But now, InuYasha 'owed' him. He cringed as he wondered what devious punishment Sesshoumaru would come up with. _Once again he sees me as a bad puppy in need of a spanking. At least this time swords wont be involved. He promised no more bloodshed. _

A motorcycle made its way through the gate and around the drive, pulling InuYasha from his reflections. It was a blockier model than the one he had seen on the way to the opera, and it made more noise which caused his ears to flatten.

"Dude! Don't you _ever_ fuckin' sleep?" Clint called as he cut the engine. He set the kickstand and dismounted, removing his helmet. Dark glasses hid his eyes, but by the grim set of his mouth InuYasha could see he was not in a good mood.

"_Caleb Inudono _made the KFI morning news. . ."

The hanyou cocked his head, not understanding. He shrugged, and adjusted his hat against the glare of the sun, unprepared for the assault he was about to undergo.

"What the _HELL_ did you _think you were doing_?" the tutor approached him removing his gloves then stood just below him with hands on his hips. "It's all over the news! SHIT, man. . ." he lowered his head putting the butt of his hand against his forehead, "The _idea, _ InuYasha. . ." he looked up removing his sunglasses to glare at the hanyou with dark swollen eyes, "was to stay low profile!"

"There was nothin' '_low profile_' about that damn opera," the hat adjustment hadn't solved his problem, so he brought a clawed hand up to block the sun.

"I'm not talking about the opera. . ." Clint climbed the three steps separating them and sat next to InuYasha. Scowling at the sunlight he put his sunglasses back on but they didn't help much. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, tilting his head at his student. "Why the hell did you kick out a plate glass window?"

"Oh. . . Sesshoumaru told you about that, huh?" frowning, InuYasha suddenly found the traffic crossing the bridge fascinating, as he avoided Clint's scrutiny.

"No. . . not a word. . . I _just now_ heard about it. . . on the _radio?_" he snapped his fingers in front of InuYasha to get his attention, "what the fuck were you thinking?" At the affront of the snapping fingers, InuYasha glared at him for a nanosecond, then looked down and away.

"It was Kagome. . . some guy had his hands all over her. . ." he mumbled. "Sesshoumaru said he took care of. . . the mess. He said I owe him."

Clint studied the hanyou for several moments. He wondered if there was more than a broken window that his employer had needed to 'take care of' and it made him cringe inwardly.

He knew Kagome was the girl that InuYasha had needed so desperately to find that first meeting, and though he had been pretty certain before she was a love interest, now he had no doubt. Underneath his tough facade he was sympathetic, but a point had to be made here and he was determined to do so.

"You wanna spend the rest of your life with Big Brother wiping your ass?" he asked the hanyou pointedly. InuYasha turned his scowl on the man. "That's what it amounts to, you know. . . Shit like that will get you locked up. Especially in town. . ."

"Look, I didn't see any other choice, alright?" InuYasha spat. "He wasn't going to let me follow her. . . but. . . I had to. . . " he trailed off as he rose from his seat, stepping down toward the motorcycle. "I didn't know you had one of these. . ."

"Don't change the subject, damnit!" Clint followed him down to the bike. "You're gonna run your ass crosswise with the law if you don't stop and fuckin' _THINK_ before you _DO_ shit!"

"Give it a rest, Clint! It's over!" InuYasha stood by the motorcycle with his arms folded. "I know where she is now. . . that's all that matters." He mounted the bike, and examined the console and handle bars, dismissing further discussion on the matter.

"I. . . don't. . . think. . . so." The tutor clipped, ignoring the dismissal. "I know for a _fact_ that your brother doesn't want the Inudono name flushed into the sewer. If you have any _gratitude_ for what he's done for you. . . any _loyalty _to him _at all_. . . then you'll listen to what I have to say, God damnit!"

"OK THEN!" InuYasha had stopped his examination, and dropped his hands to his thighs, narrowing his eyes at his tutor. "Fuckin' bring it on! Let me have it! Tell me what a fuck up halfbreed I am!" he looked down, "It's not like _that's_ _news_ or anything," he snarled. Clint's words, 'gratitude' and 'loyalty', echoed in his ears.

Clint removed his glasses again, and wiped his hand down his face.

"I _wouldn't _call you _that, _InuYasha. . . not _ever_," his expression softened to one of concern. He took a moment to formulate a reasonable argument, something the untamed creature could understand. "_Your_ family name is well known. . . and there are people out there who'd use _anything_. . . and I mean _ANYTHING _they can get their filthy hands on, to try to destroy the. . . _reputation_. . . that Sesshoumaru's worked so hard to build. You haven't been here long enough to understand. . . just. . . just fuckin' be careful. There is still a lot for you to learn. . ."

InuYasha thought about this for several long moments, his eyes scanning the grounds. So the wolves weren't the only enemy his brother faced. This was a complex time, and he knew the Demon had not gained everything by might alone.

InuYasha also knew fully well that he himself wasn't the most cunning person, living by sword and claw all of his life. The nuances of this era were confusing at best, and as badly as he wished to be independent, all of his actions were under scrutiny. And not _just_ by the jackass.

He locked gazes with Clint who stood by him waiting for a response.

"Understood," he said simply, all brashness removed from his tone. "So. . . ya wanna show the 'fuck up' how this works?"

"Knock that shit off, you aren't a fuck up," Clint leaned in and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder, "we all make mistakes. . . just try to stay outta the news, huh?" InuYasha nodded, and their voices lowered as Clint began explaining each of the controls.

Sesshoumaru stepped out of the side balcony of his study watching the two. He had heard the exchange, most of which had been impossible to ignore. Clint seemed to truly understand InuYasha, how he processed information, his values. He would be the bridge that was needed to educate his younger brother. He had learned much in a very short period of time, and there was so much more for him to understand.

Before long Eddie pulled in to the drive, his car sounding like it was losing a long battle with the plague. It coughed and sputtered three times when he killed the engine, and Sesshoumaru made a mental note that Eddie was _not _ to discuss vehicle maintenance with InuYasha. He would leave that to Clint, who appeared to be doing a good job thus far.

Both of the men looked as though they had been drug out of their beds, which for all intent and purpose, they had. But then again, that was what they were paid for. Eddie's shirt was only half tucked into his faded jeans, and Clint appeared to be nursing a hangover, despite the amount of shouting that had taken place on his arrival.

The session began in earnest at 7 A.M. and for three hours, they drilled InuYasha on all topics relative to basic motorcycle operation, safety and maintenance. It was fortuitous that Clint had arrived on his own motorcycle, which allowed InuYasha an opportunity to practice for a short time.

At first InuYasha had been tentative, as he got the feel for the controls, making slow circles around the drive. That didn't last for long, however. And though the Demon was certain that the wheelie had been unintentional to begin with, his eyes glimmered in appreciation as his younger brother stood into it with perfect balance, his hat blowing off, and rode it for a good 50 feet, before bringing the front wheel back down to cheers from his tutors. The hanyou was a natural stunt man.

"Now THAT'S what I'm TALKIN' ABOUT!" He shouted as he made another pass, his hair billowing behind him.

What amazed Sesshoumaru beyond his uncanny coordination, was how quickly his brother absorbed the information that was presented to him. He had the enthusiasm and motivation to _want to_ know, and he asked many questions.

That pleased the Demon a great deal.

InuYasha however, hadn't had much use for technology. He had abhorred the flights that brought him to America, and grumbled at the stuffiness of riding in the cars. But he was able to see the value to a certain degree. He tolerated the glare of the computer screen during his lessons, and he understood how important television was to the jackass, mostly for news. But to his thinking, the use of modern technology was like snowball rolling down a hill unfettered, gathering more snow to itself. One thing lead to another, and yet another.

The last item on Sesshoumaru's morning agenda was to present InuYasha with a small satellite phone unit with a specially modified wireless ear piece, which would fit down in his ear so all he would have to do is press a button on the main unit to answer calls.. It would allow him to be contacted regardless of location, even far into the hills where cell phones often failed, so he would be able to check on the hanyou at any given time. It included a G.P.S. Interface and allowed for Internet access using voice command should he need to query any special information during his travels.

He told the hanyou to consider it his 'leash', after the incident at The Noodle Factory. InuYasha had scowled, and even grumbled a few choice obscenities, before accepting the unit. Inwardly he was grateful it hadn't been anything worse.

He frowned at first while its operation was explained to him. However, while Eddie was a normally quiet fellow, when he began discussing electronics he became a different person. In demonstrating how the device worked he had become quite animated and his enthusiasm had a contagious nature. InuYasha soon found himself querying coordinates for various locations using the G.P.S. feature then scanning the wide variety of satellite radio stations. _Some of the shit they call music now. . . DAMN._

The snowball was growing bigger.

The tutors were then excused and the brothers made their way to the Department of Motor Vehicles, which was opened for a half day on Saturday, where InuYasha took an oral test for his initial permit. He did remarkably well, only missing one question.

'Hurry the hell up,' was not an appropriate answer for the meaning of a yellow signal light. The examiner had set his lips into a thin line attempting to disguise how funny he thought the answer was. InuYasha mistook his suppressed snorts as hiccups and offered to get him a drink of water.

Then it was off to several different motorcycle dealerships to decide which model was best suited for the hanyou. The first three were easy, as they walked in, InuYasha scanned the floor and shook his head and off they went to the next.

InuYasha knew the moment he laid eyes on the Ducati that he had found his 'wheels'. It was a SuperSport model that was very nearly the same color as his hinezumi. 'Fire Rat Red', he had called it, which had brought Sesshoumaru to roll his eyes, and the salesman to look at him strangely while scratching his head. They were in luck, that very floor model was for sale so there would be no need to wait on delivery of a special order.

Sesshoumaru felt duty bound to argue that it was more a racing model than a touring model, and InuYasha had just blinked at him. _AS IF_. . . he would be happy with _just_ a touring bike.

The Demon could not deny it.

It did fit him.

It was perfect.

_ooO0Ooo_

Kagome could feel the demon's eyes following her as she slowly made her way up and down the beach at the water line hunting for seashells. Even though she had the Jewel neatly tucked into her new swimsuit, she couldn't help but wonder if he sensed it somehow, if he knew it was there.

She had chosen the suit for it's collared halter style top which allowed her to keep the chain tucked neatly away from sight, the Jewel nestled into its usual resting place. It wasn't until she put it on at Miranda's that she realized how reminiscent the design was to the nautical style uniform her great grand aunt used to wear. It even had a little mock skirt. Perhaps Kouga watched her because she was triggering memories for him.

Deep down though, she suspected it was more than nostalgia. There was something calculating about the way the demon had been watching all of them throughout the afternoon. She had not sensed him to be an enemy, yet she couldn't help but wonder what he might be plotting. Just because hadn't sense a threat about him at first, her memory had been an ambiguous rush of feelings including both fear and safety. . . it certainly didn't mean that he was their _friend_.

Selene had chosen to ignore him for the most part, concentrating on her cousin and the sharing of family gossip. She would play her guitar and Miranda would sing old songs from when they were younger. And Miranda could definitely sing. She had clarity of tone and an impressive range that pushed into three octaves. The two had been a real treat to listen to.

It was apparent that Miranda was no more fond of Michael than Selene was of Kouga, which in a way amused Kagome. Family dynamics could be quite entertaining from the outside, and she had watched both women jockey their conversations away from the respective males, often referring to them as 'what's his name' or 'that guy you like so much, though I can't imagine why'.

Hojo had been in the water for hours on and off, breaking to join them for short periods of time, to listen to the songs and have a beer. He had told the truth about knowing how to use a surfboard, and the waves had been good, between five and seven feet as the tide moved in.

He had kept his hands to himself, which was a relief, though a couple of times he had waved to her from the water and in his distraction flipped his board. It was pretty comical, and he would shake his head and grin, then retrieve the board and head out again in search for another wave.

At least he wasn't moping.

She dipped to her haunches to reach for a shell that was half hidden in the wet sand. Brushing the sand away, she discovered a perfect sand dollar. Pleased with her find she rose and continued her stroll, and her reflections.

Hojo's dejected countenance on the last leg of their trip had left her feeling guilty. The disappointment on his face when she had refused his offer to purchasing anything she needed had brought her guilt, or maybe it was the way she had responded. Either way. The confusion on his face when she had spoken so abruptly about her mate had ultimately left her empty inside and feeling guilty once again. It was becoming annoying.

And she could find no reasonable explanation as to _why_ she should _even care_.

But she did.

She preferred to see people happy. It was just part of her nature.

But, becoming romantically involved with someone just to make _them_ happy, certainly was not. She was too busy, and had entirely too much unfinished business to even consider it.

_He's smart, handsome, and endearingly goofy. . . he could find someone easily. . . someone who could reciprocate all that affection he has. . . someone with a lot less baggage. . . _Her hand brushed up toward the Jewel.

_ I am going to strangle Michael for this. . . What could have possessed him?_

_So what about Caleb? Why did I agree to see him? His brother scares the bejezus out of me. . . and face it, following someone across town and hiding in their back yard is pretty freaky behavior! _

_But those eyes, the honesty behind them. And they look just like. . . InuYasha's eyes. _

_But that was just a dream. Caleb is real. . . Oh what I am thinking? I'm going to Tokyo in June! _

_ But . . . would it hurt to just. . . get to know him? Maybe get some insight on what to expect when I finally find InuYasha. Would that be wrong? _

_I don't dare tell him, he would try to stop me, too. _

It was then that she saw things for what they were. And her hands fisted with the revelation.

_Michael knows. . . he must, and that's why he has drug Hojo into the picture. . . to try to stop me. Why didn't I see it before? It makes perfect sense, and it's absolutely revolting! To think he could interfere by trying to find someone to steal my heart. Men. . . they seem to think that's the only way to manipulate women. Hmph! _

She didn't realize how far down the beach she had wandered, though the sounds of the gathering had diminished considerably. She jumped at the sound of the masculine voice behind her, his approach masked by the sound of the surf and her inner turmoil.

"He's using the water to avoid you, why would he do that, miko?" at her startled response, Kouga graced her with a toothy grin. "He should be protecting his woman, you're wandering too far. . ." Those sharp eyes and equally sharp teeth fascinated her for a moment, then she struck a casual pose adjusting her halter.

"I don't think he gets to go surfing much," she offered, shadowing her eyes against the western drop of the sun to watch Hojo ride a wave all the way to the sand. Turning pointedly to Kouga she continued, "I'm not his woman, anyway. . . we only just met last night."

"Ah," he nodded. "From the way he looks at you, I was under the impression you were claimed." He touched her elbow lightly directing her back toward the house. She flinched at the touch, then followed the direction smoothly pulling her elbow away.

"You make me sound like a piece of lost property," she grinned. She stopped, her expression becoming serious, "I'm not a piece of property. . ."

This made the demon chuckle. The glare he received did not faze his mirth.

"The girl may look different, but I don't think she has changed much," his eyes sparkled as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me, how much do you remember? Do you remember the fights we had over. . . _her_? How with only a single word she could stop him dead in his tracks?" His eyes scanned the horizon. "I would have killed that flea ridden whelp you know, but honor dictated he be able to fight me back."

Kagome gaped at him. He grinned and motioned her forward.

"But. . . why? Why would you want him dead?" she had no memory of any of this, and nothing like it was included in the legends.

"It's simple, I claimed her first. . ." his eyes rested on her briefly. "He was such a baka. The stupid hanyou had no clue, and apparently she didn't either. She captured my heart, though. She really did. She didn't have to die like that."

"All you wanted was a shard detector, that much I do remember," Kagome pulled herself away from the hand still on her shoulder, only to have it grip her again more tightly. She glanced at the clawed hand, then into the piercing gaze of the demon.

"Shows how much you know," his words were low and dark, and caused a fresh shiver to run up her spine. She refused to back away or to show any fear to the creature.

"Let go of me, Kouga," she growled through clenched teeth, eyes defiantly locked on his. "This serves no purpose. What about Miranda? That was another world. . . that was. . . _THEN_."

The intensity of his expression ebbed, and he pulled his hand from her shoulder, nodding to suggest they continue their stroll back to the others. Kagome didn't know what it was the demon was trying to prove, but had a strong sense that he was trying to manipulate her. _Maybe not an enemy, but was he a friend? Probably not, if he wanted InuYasha to die. . ._

"Of course, you're right, miko. Hindsight is always the clearest, ne?" they were close enough now to clearly see the others around a small bonfire.

"What did you mean, 'she didn't have to die like that'?" Kagome's tone bordered on accusatory as she frowned at the cryptic statement.

"You mean you don't know?" there was a strange gleam in his eyes that made Kagome shudder slightly. "He never sealed their union. All those years, and the idiot mutt never marked her."

"Marked her? You mean the mark of possession?" she recalled Shippou talking about how youkai would mark each other as a sign of their bond.

"It's a hell of a lot more than that. . . look at her. . ." and he nodded toward Miranda, who was laughing with Selene by the fire, "She's no longer what she was. She will live a very long time by my side."

"What do you mean, Kouga? I don't understand," Kagome's brow furrowed with her confusion. She had noticed some oddities about Miranda's appearance, flashes of her fangs mostly and the intensity in the color of her eyes.

"He probably just didn't know," he waved it off, "he practically raised himself and was a stubborn ass. He wouldn't have asked anyone about it. And being hanyou, well. . . who would he ask?"

"So it's not just a mark of 'ownership'?" her voice low, she looked at the ground as she wondered how it was she felt so bound to InuYasha if they had never really been mates.

"It's one of the great mysteries, miko. . . I'm sure you know a little bit about mysteries. . ." he raised a brow slightly at her. "A change occurs, more so with a ningen mate. I am surprised you didn't know," that gleam was still in his eyes, and it irked her.

"Why didn't you ever tell him?" She demanded. "You obviously knew."

"Why would I do that? That would have been stupid. . . since I wanted her for myself," the gleam became a calculating smile. "As long as their union wasn't sealed, I had a chance."

"I think that is the most _incredibly selfish_ thing I have _ever_ heard anyone say. . ." her hands had become fists at her side. _Self serving bastard! _

Again the demon chuckled, as he observed the amazingly familiar stance.

"I see, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," he continued his trek back, knowing she would follow. "I kept hoping she would come to her senses and leave the ignorant flea bag. But, no. . . her loyalty to him never wavered, misguided as it was. She was quite a woman, it must be a challenge to wear her name."

Kagome let out an exasperated growl, which made him laugh outright.

The sun was near setting and Hojo's surfboard was propped against porch. Selene was playing an old folksong on her guitar and all four of them were singing along, even Miranda who was tending the grill, but Kagome didn't miss Michael's wary watch on the two of them as they approached.

"Food will be ready soon, it's getting colder. . . you should change." Kouga led them up the sand toward the fire. Kagome had one last question to ask before they rejoined the others.

"Kouga," she reached to tentatively brush his arm with her fingers, gaining his attention. "You knew the hanyou. . . can you tell me. . . what happened to him? I mean. . . after. . ."

Kouga stopped and examined the girl at length. He saw the hint of longing in her eyes, and inwardly he refused to give her what she wanted so badly. Hope.

The dogs would not get their hands on _his Jewel_.

"I heard he went feral after she died," he began his lie, "Without her around, the only way to stop him when he got like that would be to kill him. So. . . I'd assume he's dead." At her stricken look he added, "it's best to not dwell on it, miko. You said it before, that was. . . then."

At seeing the look on Kagome's face, Michael quickly rose and ran to her, eyes narrowed at the demon. Taking her hand, he put a protective arm around her shoulders whispering into her ear. Her response was to shake her head slightly as a single tear worked it's way down her cheek. Kouga watched this in fascination, then glanced back at Hojo.

"I feel sorry for him, you know. . ." he nodded toward him, "I was once in his place. . . however," he reached over and ran his finger up Kagome's cheek, collecting the tear, "He competes with a ghost. . . Now, tell me miko, how does one challenge a ghost?" and he turned with a somber expression, leaving them.

"Ok, _bizarre _ does not even _begin_ to describe that," Michael held her out at arms length to examine her for any obvious damage. "What were you doing alone with him? Are you insane?"

"I found a shell. . ." she looked down at the sand dollar, willing herself not to cry and not succeeding. "He was just bringing me back."

"Right, and that's why your face is all wet, you're so touched by his kindness in showing you back . . . to the _only damn house on the beach!_" his voice thick with sarcasm.

"I'm FINE! I just need a minute," she needed a lot more than that, but it would have to do. She ran into the house to lock herself in the bathroom under the guise of changing her clothes.

Watching her make that dash Michael caught sight of Kouga speaking conspiratorially with Hojo. _ Why would a demon get involved in Hojo's love life? Surely Hojo remembers to not say anything about the Jewel. . . Oh, this does not bode well. Not at all._

Miranda basted the meat one more time as she hummed the tune of an ancient David Bowie song, a vague smile on her face, while Selene tried to match chords to the tune.

He got Sally's attention and nodded toward the house with a grim expression. She immediately rose from her seat on the steps and went to check on her friend, leaving a disappointed Miranda to cast furtive glances at the door.

"What song was that, Miranda?" he asked, pulling her attention away from the door. Surely whatever was going on, she was involved somehow and he wanted to thwart any interference by her.

"It's the theme song for a really old horror movie, I always thought it was kind of a fantasy. . . then recently I realized what it was really about," she set her brush down. "The movie was called 'Cat People'," her laughter was low, almost guttural. "I never dreamed there really could be. . . creatures like that. Now I'm one of them, sort of. . . Well, by proxy maybe. . ." her eyes found Kouga near the fire, speaking quietly to the surfer who appeared to be all ears.

"A movie about youkai?" she had his attention now, and she gave him a toothy smile.

"Yeah, a movie about. . . youkai. They're all around you Mikey. Have been. It's nothing new," she crossed her arms and examined the psychologist. "The question is, now that you know. . . what will you do?" She was enjoying this way too much.

Michael turned her philosophical challenge around in his mind, not caring for the taste of it. _DO? Like I have a choice to make. . . what choice could she mean? _ _This whole visit is becoming too surrealistic. . . Again I am beginning to doubt my own perceptions, maybe it's time to just go. . ._

The question was how to do so gracefully, and without incident. He eyed the meat that had been slow roasting on the spit for hours, and remembered the concerns they'd had about the sake the night before. His appetite suddenly and completely gone, he swallowed, then forced a smile for Miranda.

"'Gome, open the door," Selene had tried knocking to no avail. She could hear Kagome sniffling on the other side. It was more than that, she could feel it. It was a quiet, soul sick kind of sob only heard when someone has lost their last hope. "Open the damn door, it's me!"

The lock clicked and Selene darted into the bath locking the door behind her. The lights were off and Kagome was only half dressed, the Jewel glowed in the dimness, lighting her face freakishly in a in a swollen, wet, contorted, grimace.

On seeing Selene, she froze with her fists up in front of her, eyes brimming with more unshed tears before rolling up under swollen lids. She leaned forward, straining to contain the emotion. Not succeeding, an unearthly high pitched keening escaped her throat.

"My God, what did that bastard do to you?" Grabbing Kagome to her tightly, she held the shuddering mass that was her best friend as the silent sobs continued . "Did he hurt you?" she demanded.

Kagome only shook her head, still taut and trembling with the weight of what she had be told. Selene gently stroked her back, then reached for a nearby towel and wet the end of it in the sink. The depth of the pain Kagome was feeling was all too familiar to her, and she knew she had to do something quickly to get through to her. It was either that, or fall into the pit with her.

"C'mon honey, get a grip. . ." her own voice was shaky. "I need you to tell me what happened," she ran the damp cloth over Kagome's face, pulling her hair back and around her ears. "Was it something he said?"

"nnhnn" it was more a squeak, but the nodding head affirmed.

"Was it something about. . . InuYasha?" the response was a silent scream, and more tears. "What did he say? You have to stop, Kagome! You have to tell me what he said. . ."

After several long minutes, Kagome was able to take in a full, although shuddering breath, without having to hold it to prevent making too much noise. Selene had waited, alternately holding her and wiping at her tear stained face with the towel. Her dislike for Kouga grew exponentially with each passing minute.

"Can you talk to me now?" She asked, gently holding Kagome by the shoulders, and was rewarded with a nod.

"He said a lot of things. . ." it was no more than a whisper at first, "the last straw was when he told me InuYasha was dead," her face pulled into that grimace again, "He never marked her, Sally. . . Kouga said that's why she aged and died, that she didn't have to die like that," her eyes glazed for a moment. "In my dream we were making love. . . InuYasha said it was forever. . . but they were never mates! _GODS! _If that's true, then why do I miss him so damn much?" The tears began anew, albeit not quite as intense as Kagome buried her face into Selene's shoulder.

"For the same reason that Sango. . . couldn't go on without Miroku," Selene took a deep breath, a tear of her own broke free from her lashes and slowly made its way down her cheek. "Look, some people have a connection that's deeper than anything that can be measured," at this Kagome pulled back to face her friend. "Kagome. . . you and InuYasha had that. . . I really believe you two are soul mates. . . That far outweighs any other kind of commitment, in my book. Best friends, marriage, mate, whatever name you put on it."

"So that leaves me as. . . half a person," she leaned on the counter and weakly looked in the mirror, her eyes reflecting her words. "No wonder I feel so damned empty." She dropped to her knees, her hands crossed on the counter, almost appearing as though in prayer.

"No wonder you can't see yourself with anyone else," Selene struggled to keep Kagome from dropping all the way to the floor, as she reached for her tee shirt to help her finish dressing. "I think we are done here. I'm sorry that bastard hurt you. . . let's go home."

Michael's response was immediate when she called him through the crack in the door, as she held up a nearly limp Kagome. As the two of them worked together to guide her through the sliding glass door they were met by Kouga who blocked their path.

"Kagome is not well, we need to take her home," Michael announced quietly, then shouted to his friend out by the fire, "Hojo! Secure your board, we're leaving."

"Damn! Don't you guys ever actually _eat_? You pulled this last night, too. . ." grumbled the surfer as he reached for his board. "A guy could starve to death. . . oh hell," he stopped, taking in the scene before running his board to the car. Kouga reached to take Kagome's hand, and draw it away from around Selene's shoulder.

"No you don't demon!" she pushed his arm away. "Don't you think you've done enough?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Sally. . . I'm gonna carry her to the car," his eyes held a hint of concern, and an oddly affectionate warmth as he looked on the incapacitated Kagome. "She could lay down here, you know. . ."

"She needs her own bed. I'm sorry about dinner Miranda, perhaps another time," Michael offered without any real enthusiasm, as he eyed the demon still blocking his path. Kagome had become a dead weight on them, and he wasn't in the mood get into a fight. He just wanted to get her away.

Kouga refused to take no for an answer. He reached down and grabbed Kagome by the waist, and before they could struggle against his theft, he had turned her onto his shoulder and had leaped off the porch, moving toward their car. Michael and Selene rushed to grab their belongings and follow.

Hojo met the demon half way, and Michael watched as Kouga passed her rag doll form carefully into Hojo's waiting arms. Something silently passed between the two of them, and Hojo nodded before kissing her head and whispering something into her ear. She didn't stir, and the sight of her like that frightened Michael more than he could put into words. His trust of Hojo had diminished after seeing the way he and the demon had been talking. The bizarre transfer of Kagome's limp form between them tipped the scale. _What the HELL was that all about?_

"You drive, monk. . . I'm in the back. . . with her," Selene tossed him the keys as she darted past him to argue the seating arrangements with Hojo. She set her guitar into the trunk, slamming it, then opened the back door and ordered the engineer out of the seat, citing that it was _her vehicle_ and he could very well _walk_ his ass back to the city if he didn't comply.

Had this been any other circumstance, Michael would have been grinning ear to ear. He loved it when she took command. He watched a begrudging Hojo move to the passenger seat, and quickly climbed into the driver seat, starting the engine. _Kagome will be OK once we get her away from that creep. Hojo, on the other hand, will be needing some deprogramming. . . _

_Well, we knew it was going to be interesting. . ._

_ooO0Ooo_

"WHERE the HELL have you guys BEEN?" came a roar from across the street. Michael squinted in the half light, trying to identify the black clad figure who had just hopped off his literal perch on an imported red motorcycle and was swiftly moving toward them. He could make out four long thin white braids against the black leather jacket. _Inudono? No way. . ._

"SHIT! You all reek like a wolves den!" he spat on the ground, then narrowed his eyes at Hojo, who was carrying a barely lucid Kagome from the car.

"I beg your pardon?" Michael glared at the affront. "What business is it of yours?"

There was a discordant twang of strings combined with the splintering of wood as Selene turned toward the source of the disturbance and absently dropped her guitar to the ground.

"Caleb. . ." whispered Kagome. Hojo frowned at her, then held her just a little bit tighter.

"Put her down, asshole. . . just get your fuckin' hands off her," demanded the irate figure. "What's wrong with her? I swear. . . if you hurt her. . . PUT HER THE FUCK DOWN!"

He growled exasperatedly at the man who had frozen in his place, and before anyone realized that he had moved, he was glaring into Hojo's face and pulling Kagome from his grasp.

Hojo angrily reached for her, and she batted his hand away with a whine.

"Whoa! Whoa! WHOA!" Michael shouted, attempting to run interference. "Do you even _KNOW_ her?"

"Monk!" Selene stopped him, her eyes narrowed in warning, she beckoned him back to her. "I'm pretty sure she knows him," as a smile graced her face.

"Caleb. . ." Kagome smiled dreamily, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You came to see me. . . I'm so glad. . ."

His question answered, Michael placed his hands on his head in confusion.

"I was worried, koi. . . you were gone all day. . ." he pulled her close, sparing a quick glare at Hojo, he nuzzled her neck. "Why do you stink like. . . those mangy Ookami bastards?"

"Oh that just does it! You grab my girl right out of my arms. . . and NOW you insult my friends?" Hojo's hands fisted and his feet spread, his features marred with loathing.

"Huh?" Michael's face blanked for a split second. "Oh no. . . Hojo, no! Down boy!" he waved his hands trying to get Hojo's attention, then turned a silent helpless plea to Selene. The guy was going to get himself killed fighting for the _wrong side_ if the situation wasn't diffused.

"Fuckin' idiot. . . I eat wimps like you for breakfast. . . GET LOST!" he dismissed the man completely, walking toward Selene with his prize. "She needs a bath, hell. . ." he sniffed deeply at the two of them, then sneezed, careful to avoid showering Kagome. "You all do! DAMN!"

Michael had never seen Hojo angry, he ventured to think that perhaps Hojo had never been this angry before. It looked as though a vein was going to pop at any moment. He could see the only thing keeping the man from attempting to tackle Caleb was the fact that he was still holding Kagome in his arms. If he put her down, all hell was going to break loose.

"Take her in the house, Caleb. . . Selene, you too. I'll deal with Hojo," he cracked his knuckles.

"Nice thought, monk. . . but I can't get in the damn door. . ." mumbled the hanyou, which yanked Michael in for a reality check. "You warded it, bouzo. . . remember?"

"Oh hell. . ." Michael ventured one more pleading look at Selene, before he ran to dismantle the ward by the front door.

"Go home, Hojo!" she shouted. "It's over. . . I will _NOT_ have a disturbance right in front of my home!" This pulled his glare of searing hatred from the hanyou and onto her. He appeared ready to fight anyone necessary to get Kagome back. "I'll run your ass in if you push it! Don't you think I won't!" she produced her badge out of her back pocket and flashed it at him, reminding him just who he was dealing with.

"FINE!" he finally backed down, though his expression had not changed. "But THIS IS FAR from OVER!"

"Glad she's on my side. . ." muttered the hanyou as he joined Michael on the front porch. The sound of peeling rubber signaled the end of the altercation as Hojo drove away.

Kagome's eyes glimmered as she smiled up at him, she looked so vulnerable it tugged at his heart. She was like a small child in his arms as she reached up to trace his brow with her fingers.

"That may be debatable, Mr. Inudono," the female voice behind him was unmistakable. He turned to take a long look at the woman. There was a reason he had mistaken her for Tajiya the first time he saw her, his smile of recognition was more of a grimace as he realized he was going to have to answer her questions.

"Call me Caleb. . . Officer."

"It's Detective. . ." she cocked her head at him strangely. "Just call me Sally, everyone else does. . . _Caleb_," her eyes narrowed slightly. "But that's. . . not _really_ your name, is it. . ."

_ooO0Ooo_


	34. Chapter Thirty Three

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Thirty Three

InuYasha stood frozen, his eyes locked with the detective's, Kagome in his arms tracing the lines of his face and his brother's words repeating in his head.

_Don't move too fast, or you will frighten her. . . _

_She's not the same girl, now. . . _

_As far as the world at large is concerned, InuYasha died 500 years ago. . . _

You_ may know who they are. . . but do _they

"I really don't appreciate being called Bozo," grumbled Michael as he fought with the keys to Selene's door. It had taken him a minute to realize that _of course_ Inudono couldn't take her past the ward. And while he was turning the second of the locks it hit him that the guy _had known_ that _he was the one_ who had set it to begin with. _How the hell did he know that?_

"I asked you a question. . . Caleb." Selene could feel his eyes on her as she ventured a quick appraisal of the expression of complete contentedness that was on Kagome's face. A drastic change from only twenty minutes before.

She couldn't shake the feeling that she knew this man. The sound of his voice shouting at Hojo had jolted her clear down to the soles of her shoes with its familiarity.

"My name. . . " the hanyou had come to his decision. The last thing he wanted to do was scare these people, especially Kagome, ". . .is Caleb Inudono. My I.D. . . .it's in my breast pocket." He nodded down, unable to reach for it while still holding Kagome.

"Which. . . side?" Kagome asked, gently pulling open his jacket and placing her right palm just over his heart.

"Right," he whispered, suddenly breathless from the touch. "_Kami_. . ."

Kagome reached in and fumbled slightly with the wallet before bringing it out, and at his nod she handed it to Selene. She then returned her hand to its initial position on his chest, as Michael pushed open the door leading the way in.

"You know, I can stand on my own, Caleb," She grinned. "You don't have to carry me around."

"What if I want to?" he raised his brows at her, and she cocked a brow and blinked in response.

He set her down reluctantly.

Selene pulled out the I.D. and examined it closely, motioning for Caleb and Kagome to go in first. She knew a few forgery tricks, but she found no evidence of any on the small document.

After listening her mutter to herself about it as they walked into the living room, the last straw was a comment about his eye color. She insisted they weren't light brown.

"Yeah. . . so?" the hanyou snarled. "The fuckin' picture is ME!" He tried to grab the document back, but she dodged him with a mischievous grin.

"Honey. . ." Kagome reached up to touch his brow. "His eyes are like golden honey. . ."

"I would have said amber," Selene then saw the address, and started laughing, as she plopped into her favorite chair. "You live on Demon's Byway, Point Diablo? Now that's just. . . too much!"

"My brother built the place. . . I'm just stayin' there with him." His phone vibrated against his chest. "Speak of the damn Devil. . ." he sat down on the floor with his back to the wall, then pulled Kagome down into his lap, "He just gave me this thing this morning and he's called me about twenty times already. . ." he sighed and slapped at the unit in his pocket, causing the girl to jump, "What the hell is it _now_, Jackass?"

Michael cringed at the greeting, knowing it must be Seth Inudono calling, then looked around for a cell phone and couldn't find one. He watched Kagome wrap her arms around Caleb's neck, and his eyes narrowed.

Taking his usual seat on the arm of Selene's chair, he looked over her shoulder at the I.D. she still held. It looked like a gang leader's mugshot, in his opinion, the facial expression obstinate with what appeared to be a scarf on his head. He was not impressed.

"She just got home. . . DAMN! I can hear her goin' on behind you, is this your call or hers? . . . Tell the witch YES, I am behavin'. . . Her precious Mike right here, OK?"

The one side of the conversation intrigued Selene, and Michael's eyes widened at the mention of his name. Only people from the University called him 'Mike', which meant that Windham was probably on the other side of that phone call.

"Sess, um. . . damn, they all stink like that mangy bastard. . ." three pairs of eyes were on Caleb at this point, and he scowled. "Oi! Jackass! Gimme time, huh? They just got here, I don't know anything yet. . . yeah right. . . FINE!" and he reached into his pocket.

"Here we go with the stink stuff again," Michael groaned.

"You said the same thing at my apartment, Mikey. . ."Kagome reminded him, "you said it stank of youki. . ."

"Yeah ok, right after you threatened to go hunt them down, and purify them. . ." He countered,

"You scared the living hell out of me, I was afraid you were going to take off on your own. . . OK, I have to know, who's precious Mike am I?"

"Kate's up at the compound, guess he thought he was gonna have to hunt me down again," Caleb sighed.

"Don't tell me you just called Kate Windham a . . . _witch_. . ." Michael was amused and aghast, all at once.

"Like you've never at least thought it. . . Don't tell me you haven't." Caleb fixed him with a knowing look. Michael cocked his head and shrugged with a half smirk. The woman could be intimidating, that was a certainty.

"Let me see that thing. . ." Kagome reached into his pocket, and pulled out the unit."What stink are you complaining about Caleb?" she asked, pushing a button which caused him to cringe and grab the thing away from her. He quickly placed it back in his pocket. "I don't smell anything. . ."

"Kouga is all over you, Koi. . . I really wish you would go wash. . ." he wrinkled his nose, then touched her cheek causing her to look into his eyes, which had become dangerously intense. "But first, tell me why that asshole was touching you. I wanna be real fuckin' clear about that when I kill him."

Kagome got a vacant look that morphed into a grimace, then pushed herself off of his lap and stumbled off toward the bath, a worried Selene at her heels.

"Oi! Wench! I asked you a question!" the hanyou rose to follow them, but Michael jumped up putting an arm out to stop him.

"Maybe you should just go, Inudono. . . she's had a really bad day and it's just not a good night for this," Michael motioned toward the door

"Who made it a bad day for her?" knuckles cracked and Michael winced. The expression on Caleb's face brought concerns about keeping his arm attached, and he pulled it back to his side. He heard the shower running and Selene returned to find what appeared to be a stand off between the men.

"You better think twice, Inudono. . . The monk isn't your enemy," she squared her stance.

"I fuckin' know that!" he spat, annoyed at being told something he saw as obvious. "I just wish SOMEONE would give me a straight answer! Why the hell were you guys anywhere NEAR Kouga? He's dangerous DAMNIT!"

There was brief, silent exchange between Michael and Selene, and she assumed a more casual posture..

"He's with my cousin. . . he's her mate," she began, "We didn't know for sure. . . what he was, until we got there and then Kagome seemed to remember him. It was after they talked that she got so upset."

"He carried her. . . she was upset and she fainted. . . Kouga carried her," Michael reported.

"Mate? a. . . human? That makes no sense. . ." he glanced back and forth between the two of them with an air of confusion. "What the hell do you mean, Kagome _remembered_ him?"

Michael shot Selene a warning look, and a quick shake of his head. He wasn't sure he trusted this newcomer.

There were too many connections for him to be comfortable with, like the fact that he was _waiting for them_ when they got home. His connection to Kate Windham seemed a little too convenient, or that he knew, and quite apparently despised Kouga..

Then there was the possessive way he acted around Kagome, and that she seemed to not only allow it but welcome it, after pushing Hojo away like she had. _How the hell did he know I set those wards? And why the hell doesn't he take that damn hat off?_

"Let's sit down. . ." Selene could see the turmoil Michael was going through and motioned Caleb to the couch. "Before I answer your questions, I have one or two of my own."

Michael watched in fascination as Caleb took a cross legged seat right where he stood, his back straight with folded arms, his face grim. He looked like he was playing Indian chief, with those braids and that leather hat. The counselor folded his arms and leaned against the wall, settling in for what he assumed would be an interrogation.

"Is this 'official'?" Caleb asked peering up at her.

"Does it need to be?" She easily dropped to sit directly in front of him, giving him a knowing look. "I know where you were last Wednesday night, I just want to know why you were there."

InuYasha thought about the question, his eyes locked on the detective. Only the truth would suffice, but he had to use caution on how much of it to give her.

"Kagome was sick. . . I had to see if she was ok," he stated simply. "But she wasn't home," his eyes darted toward the hallway.

"Sick?" Michael asked. "She wasn't sick. . ."

"_YOU said _she was," he turned a glare on Michael. "That day on the road when you guys almost hit us?"

"That black limo. . . that was you?" Michael leaned forward. "She wasn't feeling well, but she was fine after. . ." he stopped short of revealing the appearance of the Jewel, "after she got some rest."

Selene nodded watching Michael, it made a strange kind of sense. They found the apartment already destroyed while trying to check on Kagome.

"But that happened on Saturday," she turned back to Caleb. "Why did you wait until Wednesday to go check on her? Why didn't you try before that?"

"I was. . . sick," he looked down, fleeting portions of his dream nagging for his attention. _The wolves had Kagome. . . _his voice low, "The jackass didn't want to go. . . But I had to know that she was ok, then we found her place like that. . . and it stunk of wolf. . ." he lifted his eyes to her, his expression open and concerned, "I could never hurt her, Sally."

"I believe you, Caleb," and she did, though she would be hard pressed to logically defend her reasoning. "But what the hell was that smell? You keep talking about stink. . . When I got back to the apartment with forensics we damn near choked to death, what did you do?"

"Oh. . ." he blushed, then looked at the floor. "The jackass melted the back window lock so we could get out. . . he said we'd be in serious trouble for just bein' there." He looked up at her hoping he hadn't opened yet another can of worms for his brother.

"Well, it certainly was. . . melted. . . but how?" Selene had seen the forensics report, and the substance used had been unidentifiable.

"His claws," he blinked at her. "He's poisonous."

He watched their expressions morph from disbelief to shock, then Selene began to nod with understanding. Of course forensics wouldn't easily be able to analyze _demon excretions_. Her mind began to wander to other strange reports she had read over the last week. Could it be that this recent crime wave was directly related to _demon _activity in the city? That could explain some of it perhaps, she would have to go over those reports again with a new eye.

"Look, it's my job to _protect _Kagome. That's why I'm here. . . to keep her safe." Caleb rose gracefully, his arms still crossed. "That can happen either with. . . or without your help." He nodded toward the bath, where the water had stopped and a blow dryer whined. "She's all that matters. Those bastards have her targeted for some reason, and I fuckin' wanna know why."

"It will be better to discuss all of this on a full stomach, I am thinking," suggested Michael. "I'm starving. . . What's for dinner, my dear? I mean since we didn't eat at Miranda's. . ."

"Dinner?" Selene blanched. "Not sure what we have in there, um. . . come help me forage, monk," and she rose taking Michael's hand, leading him to the other room and closing the door behind them.

InuYasha took a guard position in the hallway just opposite the bathroom door, waiting for Kagome to emerge. He didn't like having her out of his site, not after the way she looked when she had come home. He heard wisps of the conversation that ensued in the kitchen, enough to feel guilty for eaves dropping. Earning the trust of the monk was going to be a challenge, after facing off with his friend. He could hear Kagome too, a sniffle as things were moved around behind the closed door. He hoped he hadn't made her cry. . .

oOo

"Tell me what you're thinking, I see your wheels turning. . ." Selene prodded in a whisper.

"I don't know, Sally. . . Hojo changed. . . he's not the guy I thought he was. I don't know if it was Kouga influencing him. . . or what," Michael stood with his arms folded, speaking low. "He's dangerous, and I don't want her around him anymore. But this guy. . ." he nodded toward the closed door, "I sense danger around him too, he's unpredictable. . . have you seen how quickly he jumps from angry to warm and affectionate? He's gotta be Bi-polar or something. . ."

"It's Kagome, she has an effect on him. . ." Selene pondered this. "But he's got just as strong an influence on her, I see it. He says he wants to protect her, then I'm going to let him. I'm not asking him to leave."

"You can't be seriously considering letting that. . . _person _stay in this house!" Michael hissed.

"Keep your voice down, Monk," Selene whispered, as she opened the refrigerator hoping to all that was holy she would find something nutritious in there.

"You know what he is! What his brother is! We've jumped out of the frying pan into the damn bonfire!" his voice was slightly lower, but his agitation prevented an honest whisper.

"Will you stop?" she slammed the door with a low curse. "He can hear everything you are saying!"

At this Michael snapped his mouth shut, eyes darting toward the door. Selene sighed, then put her hands on his shoulders. She gave him a small smile, eyes full of earnest commitment to her stand on the matter.

"Did you by any chance notice how she was clinging to him? She didn't want Hojo to even touch her, but she trusts Caleb. We need to honor that. He isn't her enemy. . . he isn't _our_ enemy. . ." she whispered, "didn't you _see _the expression on her face when she first looked at him? "

"Uh. . ." he thought about it, "I was too busy worrying about Hojo ripping his head off."

"Like that could happen," she smirked. "He doesn't strike me as being the scrapper type. . . well at least not until tonight." Her lips thinned. _True enough, Hojo has changed. . . and not for the better._

She moved to the cupboards in her search for something that might resemble dinner. Kagome had wanted to go grocery shopping, but there had been no time. Selene frowned at the coffee and ramen which were all that graced her cupboard shelves, along with a half eaten box of wheat crackers.

"So. . . it's your turn. . . What aren't you telling me, Selene?" Michael hovered beside her. "Why do I feel like you are keeping something from me? She said Kouga didn't hurt her, but why was it that she was crying. . ."

"He told her things. . . it's not my place to talk about it," she shook her head. "She should be the one to tell you the details.. . Oh, hell," she turned to him, "You said it yourself. . . _you told me that the hanyou is dead._" Her face became grim. "Kouga just. . . confirmed it. . . and it sucker punched her."

Michael's eyes turned toward the doorway. "She never told me what it was she remembered. I thought it was strange the way she just dismissed it. . . like forgetting to turn the lights off before a trip or something. . . So Kagome recognized Kouga, from. . . before?"

"Seems that way. And he knew the hanyou. . ." Selene shrugged. "Anyway, I think that Caleb is good for her, she's perked up a lot in the little while he's been with her. You didn't see her, Mikey. . . the torment in her eyes. If having him close makes her feel better, then he's staying. And to be honest, I think there is more about Caleb Inudono that we have yet to learn, something special."

"He called me a Bozo. . ." Michael frowned. "That wasn't particularly special."

"Do you trust me?" she demanded pointedly, folding her arms.

"Of course I trust you. . ." he glanced at the doorway again, "It's HIM I don't trust. . . not here, indefinitely. . . with you two alone."

Selene stared at her intended, genuine concern etched all over his features. For a brief moment she wondered why it was they kept putting off getting married. Could it be that Kagome's happiness had something to do with it? Michael was so very attached to her, Selene felt that sometimes she had to remind him that she was there too. Maybe now was a good time to do that. . .

"Alright, then you stay, too. . ." she wrapped her arms around his waist, eyes lowered to his mouth, "problem solved," and she nibbled at his lower lip, his surprise at her suggestion melting into a deep kiss. Breaking away, she hummed in his ear, " If you're afraid he's after the Jewel, ward the door so he can't leave," she leaned back and patted his chest, "that way you'll be able to sleep. . . He just wants to be near Kagome, and something tells me that she needs him right now. . ."

"Sleep?" after a kiss like that, sleeping was the last thing on his mind.

oOo

Kagome opened the door and for the second time in one day was greeted by warm smiling eyes and arms around her. This time the eyes were honey gold, and she welcomed the embrace, resting her head against his chest.

It was as if the simple act of touching him was an energy supply for her, and she drew on it deeply as she listened to the beat of his heart. No words were necessary, it was all in the feeling of being in his arms.

Kouga's words had hurt her so very deeply, she hadn't thought she could go on, she had wanted to just give up. When Caleb pulled her from Hojo's grip, everything had felt. . . right with the world. She felt a sense of complete safety in his arms, and she wasn't going to question why.

It had been the mention of Kouga specifically that had upset her, and though surprised that Caleb knew him, it was fine with her that there was no love lost between them. Though she wasn't so sure how serious he had been when he said he would kill him. _Miranda needs him now. . . even if he is a selfish bastard, he's still the father of her baby._

She lifted her head off of his chest and smiled at him.

"Better?" she whispered into his ear. Or so she thought.

"Much better. . ." he pressed his nose into her hair, still warm from the dryer, then kissed her head. Crooking a finger under her chin, he brought her eyes to meet his before he touched his lips to hers in a warm but chaste kiss.

Kagome felt her knees give, his lips were like. . . rose petals. She ran a hand through the shorter, loose hair that framed his face, as he touched his nose to hers.

Eyes sparkling, he willed for her to remember him. . . anything would do, anything at all would be a start. If she could remember that bastard Kouga, then surely she would remember her mate. . .

Kagome's fingers combed through his hair, then as she pressed a fingertip against the side of his head she gasped. Both hands began running along the sides of his head.

"What is it, Koi?" He cupped her face in his hands.

"Caleb. . . I uh. . . where's. . ." before he could react, her hand suddenly whipped up and flipped his hat off. It hit the floor with a muffled plop, and Kagome's mouth began working but nothing was coming out, as she tentatively reached up to the top of his head and brushed her fingers over the tips of his ears.

They twitched reflexively, and he let out a breath of relief as her eyes sparkled at the reaction her fingers were causing. Then she began slowly, gently working the very base of each one, drawing a low moan from him, and it became purely instinctive on both parts as he leaned in for the massage that only _his Kagome_ knew how to give.

"Is. . . is it really. . . you?" her voice was shaking, her eyes brimmed. "Inu. . . InuYasha?"

"You remember me. . . Oh Kami!" He whispered, and they both began to cry, kissing each other's faces a hundred times, stopping to gaze briefly into each other's eyes, then more hungry kisses.

"_I KNEW IT!_" Came a triumphant exclamation from Selene, her face beaming as she stood in the now opened doorway to the kitchen.

"Knew what?" inquired Michael as he came up behind her, chewing on a stale cracker. On evaluation of the scene taking place in the hallway, his jaw dropped. "Holy Hell. . . there's a Dog-boy in the hallway. . . and he's kissing Kagome. . ."

"That's not just any Dog-boy. . ." and she smacked him on the head for leering.

"Do you guys mind?" InuYasha growled, as he shut the door in their faces. "They haven't changed much, have they?"

_ooO0Ooo_

A/N : Sorry for the delay in getting this update in. It's high season for the business that I am in, so less time to focus on the truly important things, like finishing out this story for you.

The review responses from all of you have taken my breath away. I don't wanna eat up a lot of space with lengthy explanations. People don't generally log in to read a bunch of author ramblings, they are more interested in a good story!

ADSV : Thank you so much, your comments just make my day! "stay tuned for another episode of 'As the Dog-Boy Turns'..."

cuteness : sorry it wasn't any faster, hope it's not too late

javamoon : DOH! thank you for the correction

J.Travis : thank you for your kind words. I promise to not order too many rainy days, though I love it when you read and review! ;)

InuFilipinaFan : oh no, don't do that, you'll get a headache!

Sueslalues : I understand... it never _is _a good stopping place, you should see my notebook... uhng!

mdjw muse911 : ah but more shall be revealed. . .

Kagome Lover : Glad to have you along for the ride :)

Ciara : I am pleased that you are enjoying it! I update as often as I can, which is usually one or two chappies a week. It's going a little slower now due to it being summer.

Jadewolf : Thank you! I am pleased you are enjoying it!

Until Next Time!

metsuki


	35. Chapter Thirty Four

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

A/N:: This is a rewrite including a few more details that will make more sense in later chapters.

Finding Kagome

Chapter Thirty Four

"What the _hell_ do you _mean_, 'Kouga so much as admitted to having her apartment ransacked'??" Kagura was beside herself, her red eyes flashing . "You never mentioned having a _conversation_ with the son-of-a-bitch!! Just when did _this occur_??"

Sesshoumaru was the epitome of calm as he watched his chosen's anger escalate, a hint of a twinkle in his eyes before they narrowed slightly in response to her tirade. It was not his habit to report to anyone beyond his regular reports to the council, it never had been and she knew that. However, her reaction to this new piece of information intrigued him, to say the least.

"To be specific, approximately seven fifteen last Wednesday evening," he stepped casually away from the desk where he had just concluded his abbreviated conversation with InuYasha. "He was responding to the . . . message I left for him."

"You mean the altercation you told me about?" her eyes narrowed on him. "In other words, he attacked you!! You never told me he attacked you, Sesshoumaru! Why would you leave that out?"

"There was no need to worry you," he retrieved his tea from the desk, and took a sip contemplatively. "He's made a challenge however. Though what he wishes to accomplish by it . . . this Sesshoumaru does not understand." He went to the window and watched the fog move in. "It's as though he is locked into the past . . . he has no comprehension of how the current system works. He seems to believe that there is some high rank which he will purloin with my demise."

"You mean, beyond exacting revenge for his mate's death," she added, drawing close behind him.

"There is that, too," he admitted with a sigh of resignation.

"Sesshoumaru. . ." Kagura pulled his attention from the window with soft touch to the blade of his shoulder, "What was he after in the girl's apartment?"

The Demon studied the face of his intended carefully. Her concerns for his safety were not unfounded. And her involvement had been set the moment he enlisted her aid in hunting down his bull headed brother.

"I have not pressed this point with InuYasha," the hint of concern etched on his features spoke volumes as he turned toward her. "However I have a strong suspicion that he is searching for the Shikon no Tama."

She hesitated a moment, then backed away from him a step, a flash of shock and horror marring her features. A shudder visibly ran through her small frame.

"You can't possibly believe that. . ." her eyes darted around the room, finally settling on a patch of thin air. "I thought it was safe here. I thought _we _would be safe here! No. . ." she shook her head and waved her hands as if she could erase what he had just said. "I can't go through that again! I won't!"

"Kagura,", his voice was low as he set his tea back down on the desk and reached for her. He hadn't expected such a dramatic reaction and wished he could retract his words. But what was done, was invariably done, and sheltering her from it would do no good in the long run.

"No! I've seen first hand how that. . . _thing_ corrupts _everyone _around it!" Unrestrained fear contorted her features. "I came here for a new start. . . and now the damn thing is _HERE_?? Where?? Who's responsible??" She was obviously still in the mindset of Naraku being in control of the Jewel of Four Souls. Or perhaps if not Naraku, then some other with malicious intent, which was definitely not the case now.

"Kagura, stop." His voice while still low was laced with command, a tone he knew she instinctively understood through her panic. "We know nothing in certainty, yet. . . InuYasha has said that he buried the Jewel with the miko's remains, in Edo. Come. . ." He took her arm, pulling her with him to an overstuffed chair, drawing her into his lap. "Did this Sesshoumaru not promise to you his protection in these matters?"

She still trembled at the flashing memories. It was all over her face. The horrors she had been pressed to perform, death and destruction, conspiracy and deceit, all these memories she had left behind her when she left Japan for good, when she had left _him_. Now the horrors of her ancient misdeeds were following her, haunting her, announced by his suspicions.

"Can you protect me. . . from my past?" She blinked back the tears that she knew in her heart she had no right to shed.

"Itoshii," he whispered as he drew her head to his shoulder. The endearment was not lost on her. "Have you yet to redeem yourself? After all this time . . ."

"Just when I think I tip the balance to my favor. . ." she shuddered again, "something reminds me and I know there _is _no true redemption. . . I belong in hell, right beside Naraku."

"I _refuse_ to believe that. You are no more evil than I," he dismissed her proclamation. "Regret can be a cancerous thing when unchecked. . ." he gently kissed her forehead. "I believe _you_ are the one who helped me to understand that. Is it not time. . . for you. . . to as they say, 'walk the talk'?"

She pulled back from him, blinking in surprise at his admonition. If it weren't for the seriousness of their conversation he would have found her expression amusing. He had to choose his words with the utmost care, or she might once again misinterpret his intentions.

"Your heart is your own, and it shall remain so. . . have I not promised this?" he asked pointedly. "Naraku is dead. . . Long dead. . . . He cannot control you from Hell." His eyes narrowed with meaning. "And as much as this Sesshoumaru might have wished it, even I have not laid my full claim to your affections. . . simply put. . . because it is your wish to be totally free. No one will pull your strings, My Lady. . . No one. Not even I. I will not allow it."

"I don't. . ." he stopped her with a finger to her lips, and a soft shushing. Over their years together, and apart as well, it had all been said before one way or another. He had no need for explanations. A single tear made its way down her cheek. Tracing up it's path with his finger, he collected it then brought it to his lips. Eyes sparkling, he gently kissed her eyes.

She dropped her head to his shoulder again, and welcomed his comfort as he cradled her.

Their's had always been a tumultuous relationship, and while he knew she would cling to the familiarity of his touch, her hackles would rise each and every time he would 'pull rank' on her. He knew after so much time, it wasn't something that could easily change. He understood why it was this way. He had waited each time that she would pull away, knowing that eventually she would return to him. He was determined that one day she would permanently find her sanctuary in him. His heart had chosen her long ago. No one knew him better, no one understood him as completely.

She had been the only one to fully understand his need to find his wayward sibling. The search for InuYasha had diverted him from much needed attention to the family holdings on more than one occasion, and he had been pressed to defend his position as a result. Some of those conflicts had ended badly, and she had been there to nurse his wounds, both the physical as well as those to his pride. It had been Kagura to note the subtle loss of his strength as the years progressed. The slow, insidious decline of his power. It was on her assistance that he began to distance himself from conflicts, and he began relying on the loyalties of others to defend his holdings. Negotiation and diplomacy became his best defense.

There had, however, been no defense for the desolation he experienced as a result of Kagura's ultimate departure from Japan. A decision that was hers to make, she wished for a fresh start in a land where memories of Naraku and his evil did not exist. A place where many cultures met, and melded together. He had not tried to stop her, though that fact became another item added to his long list of regrets in life.

The assault on Hiroshima wrought devastation on the lands of his father's rule, and though immune to the lasting effects of the bombs, it forced him to reevaluate his decision to remain, to not simply follow her. The human rulers of the land of his birth were at war with those of the adopted land of his chosen mate. What was familiar to him, was simply. . . no more. To continue as he had been would have been a practice in futility. His Kagura had already abandoned their homeland, and her loss was something he had felt too acutely. His journeys overseas to be near her had become longer and longer stays, and he ultimately decided to permanently relocate to the United States. Hence, as is often the case with long lived Daiyoukai, he began anew. Perhaps not the best business decision he had ever made. But then again he had managed to keep his fingers in the reconstruction efforts after the war.

Now that his brother was found and well on his way to completing his own quest, Sesshoumaru believed it was safe for him to begin pursuit of his own desires, for what remained of his future. The female he was holding was an integral part of those desires. No. . . truth be told, she was primary. . . it far past time for her to come home. When he had built this modern fortress that he considered home, it was with two things in mind. Presenting InuYasha with his birthright, and providing for his mate a secure home. Damn her stubbornness. But the air of her possessiveness as she demanded information about Kouga suggested she was closer to ready to accept his claim than he had hoped.

"We should have more news from InuYasha soon. . ." his mellow tone broke the silence of their mutual scattered thoughts. "Though I doubt that he will be coming home tonight. . ." he turned his neck and cocked his head to gage her expression, "would you. . . consider. . . staying?"

He was rewarded with soft lips pressed against his neck, and a quiet eruption of suppressed chuckles. The humor of the situation was lost on the Demon.

"That amuses you?" he queried with a raised brow.

"Yes, actually," she grinned into his neck. "Your 'pup' is off to a slumber party and you want to have one of your own . . ."

"Hn," he grunted. "I would hardly consider my invitation to be for a 'slumber party'. Slumber would suggest sleep . . ." not finishing the comment, his eyes sparkled and he traced her cheek. "However, my Lady, you have yet to respond to my invitation." He allowed a small sigh in a caricature of defeat, removing his touch from her face. It had the desired effect.

"My Lord . . ." Her eyes widened as she watched his hand slip away. "How could I _possibly_ say no?" The edges of her mouth raised as full understanding of his intent came to her. Then with eyelids half mast, she gently pressed her lips against his.

Fisting her hair in his hand, he deepened the contact. Yes, perhaps tonight would be the night.

_ooO0Ooo_

Miranda pulled the meat off the spit, and dropped it noisily onto a platter she had just retrieved from the kitchen. She had held her tongue on seeing that her mate was obviously agitated, but she was losing the battle with holding her temper.

She hadn't cared for the expression on his face as he pulled that girl away from Sally and whats-his-name, then handed her off to the surfer like she was some kind of gift. She knew that something significant had happened and not knowing what it was nagged at her.

Kouga's distance from her since her cousin had rushed off yanked at her insides in a wholly primal way, it had taken some real concentration to not . . . just _react_.

Now the silence was going to kill her, and she had to break it.

"She was the one, I take it. . ." she peered at her mate. "The one you've been looking for?"

"She is." He didn't even look at her, his attention off toward the waves.

"Does she have it? Did she tell you anything?" Miranda crossed her arms, walling herself off to any potential explosion from him. She knew she was going to have to drag everything out of him, and she wasn't pleased about it.

"She has it."

"So. . . where is it?" the Jewel was the main goal, and he had let the woman in possession of it slip out of his grasp. This made no sense to her.

"She's wearing it. . . just like she used to," he turned toward her, his expression bordering on morose.

"Why didn't you just take it then?? It's what you've wanted. . ." she demanded.

"I. . . couldn't," he dropped to sit on the floor of the deck, chin resting on one hand.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You handed her off to that guy like. . ." she dropped her arms and moved toward him in exasperation, "Hell, like some kind of prize. And now you tell me she had the damn thing _on her _all along??"

His brow wrinkled as he looked up at his mate for the first time since their guests had so abruptly departed. There was a guilty air about his expression, and Miranda's heart dropped as she suddenly realized what was going on. That look could only mean one thing.

"Oh no. . . I can see it in your eyes. . . she's that _one_!" She sat by him and gripped his arm. "She's the one you told me about . . . and you still have feelings for her!!"

"Doesn't matter . . . " he glanced at her grip on his arm, and sighed. "It's just a matter of time. . . we will have the Jewel."

"What do you mean? You just sent the Jewel off with _some surfer_!!" She released her hold on his arm and cuffed his shoulder in aggravation. The unexpected act seemed to wake him from his trance. Reacting to her affront he grabbed both of her wrists and fixed her with a explosive glower.

She held her breath, realizing she had pushed him just a little. . . bit. . . too. . . far.

"You'd expect me to just yank the damn thing off of her throat!! _And stupidly_ think there would be no repercussions?? She has enough power knock me out of existence with a _single touch_, wench!!" He shook his head in amazement at her naivety, then seemed to lose himself in the depths of her eyes. His expression softening, he seemed to suddenly notice the hold he had on her and he released his grip on her wrists, then pulled her against his side protectively. He nuzzled into her neck, reminding himself of where, and with whom he was. "That Hojo. . . he's a lot more than _just_ a surfer. He's the tool we need to get that Jewel off of her neck. . . Her power isn't a deterrent for him."

Miranda rubbed at her wrists, then sighed into the warmth of his arms around her. He was coming back to her, finally.

"How? She seemed to be avoiding him all afternoon. . ." she rested her head against his shoulder.

"I've taken care of that. . . she's been holding onto the past. . . she'll let go now and when she does Hojo will be there to help her put the pieces back together again. Meanwhile, I have a feeling we will find a good use for this . . . surfer. What do you know about him?"

She thought back on what little she knew about the man.

"Selene said he was a friend of what's-his-name. . . He attends Berkley, the university. . . " She wrapped her arms around his neck and feathered it with a kiss, as she pondered the uses for a bright, young mind. "There are lots of young, impressionable people there. . . Campuses are a traditional breeding ground for political causes and religious cults." Miranda backed away slightly, tilting her head with a calculating expression.

"What are you thinking?" Kouga's eyes narrowed on his mate, as he watched her mind working.

"I'm thinking. . ." her eyes gleamed with inspiration, "It's time for you to wade into the human pool. When you begin your reign, people will not adjust easily. It just makes sense that a way should be paved. . . ahead of time, to prepare them, don't you think? Who better to help us than those who would be most affected by this . . . this change of power that you plan to accomplish?"

"I'm listening. . . You think that there are those that would be attentive . . . now?? At this. . . university?" he asked. "Hojo certainly seemed fascinated. . ." His brow furrowed. "There are factions that would rebel against involving humans, though." The Southerners would never accept ningen involvement, though lately they had been more trouble than they were worth. He would need to do something about that, and soon.

"Perhaps some new political cause. . ." She rested a cheek on a curled hand as she sorted through possible causes they could focus on. Since he had always appeared to think of everything legal as being human drivel, she systematically eliminated every one that came to mind.

"No. . . " he frowned. "The expression on his face, when I told him the truth about what we are. . . he wasn't afraid, he was fascinated. . . and when I explained how the miko understands our ways, and reacts to them on an instictive level . . . it was as if it were divine inspiration for him." He pulled her into his lap, nuzzling into her hair. "That's what we are, Koishii . . . divine. . . we are the gods of ages past, returned to reclaim what is our right."

"Hmm . . . So . . . religion?? It would have to be something remarkable to gain a following in this day and age," she warned sceptically.

"A return to basics. . . Nature. . ." He pondered for a few moments. "You hold a great reverence for things natural, why would they not? With a prophecy of what's to come. . . The return of the Divine Race, and a promise of protection to all believers." He broke into a broad grin. "He's well spoken, our surfer. . . he would be a good mouthpiece, and this. . . university. . . sounds like the perfect recruiting ground. . ." he tufted her hair in his hands, "and you, my mate. . . shall be recognized as the _absolute _goddess that you are. . . you're brilliant!" Her shock at what he was suggesting was interrupted by a devouring kiss, which she immediately and helplessly melted into.

_Goddess huh? I could get used to that. . . _

8888888888

Michael rubbed the back of his head where he had just been unceremoniously smacked by his precious Selene. His bemused expression was interrupted as a realization dawned on him, just what it was that he had witnessed in the hallway.

"Just who the HELL does that joker think he is??" he demanded, moving toward the door with a scowl. Selene stopped him by grabbing his shoulders and turning him to face her beaming smile.

"Don't you get it, Mikey?? It's HIM!!" Selene proceeded to conduct a little victory dance, something akin to what one might see on the end zone after a touchdown, sans the football. She couldn't quite control the squeal that was welling in her throat.

"He was practically eating her face!!" he whispered hoarsely. "What's gotten into you?? We don't know this guy from Adam!!" He grabbed her shoulders, effectively ending the dance but not her exuberance

"_The pictures_, Monk!! He took those pictures, who else would care about those things?? It's HIM!!" She pointed at the door, "That's _InuYasha_ out there, it _has_ to be!! "

"No, no, no, no," he waved his hands shaking his head. "It's impossible, Sally. . . Ouna said that Kagome's hanyou _has to be _dead. It's been _too long_. . ." His effort to break through to the beaming woman with reason was leaving him nonplussed. "OK, I will accept that Kagome seems to be attracted to the 'Wild Child' type, unexpected . . . but there is NO WAY I am going to buy that . . . that _person_. . . is the legendary Dog-boy."

The only response from Selene was a broad grin with bright eyes on her bobbing head.

"The ONLY thing he has in common that I can see is a pair of _dog ears_ on top of his head. . ." he looked up thoughtfully, "which she _really _seems to like. . ." he shuddered slightly, then grabbed Selene by her upper arms for emphasis. "It could be a trick. . . a ploy to gain her confidence. Then what?? Even Kouga said he was dead. . ."

"_GOD,_ Michael!! Don't tell me you would believe _anything_ that arrogant, self serving. . . _DEMON _would say??" she hissed incredulously, pulling from his grasp.

"But, what if its the truth, Sally?"

"You saw how he reacted. . . he said he could SMELL Kouga, and it really disturbed him. He really hates him, Monk. . ." she paced three steps then back to face him, "It stands to reason that Kouga hates him too, and would lie to Kagome about him."

Michael glanced worriedly toward the door.

"To serve what purpose?" he turned to face her, eyes narrowed. "To break her heart?? That makes no sense, she's done nothing to him."

"Tell me of anything that you know about Kouga that _DOES_ make sense. . ." she demanded.

"I don't know much more than I did before we went out there. . . except that he _really is_ youkai, and he knocked your cousin up." Michael stopped, then swallowed as he thought about what he had just said.

The comment made Selene wince, then frown. She didn't want to believe that Miranda was lost to her because of this decision to become involved with Kouga.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. . . " she quoted determinedly, her expression grim.

"Bullshit," countered Michael, equally as grim and shaking his head rapidly. His terse use of the profanity caused Selene to twitch. "I don't trust him any more than I do Kouga. . . He's after something, I'm sure of it."

"The only thing I'm after right now is food. . ." InuYasha pushed through the door, a lopsided grin on his face with Kagome in tow. She glanced back and forth at the mutual irritation on the faces of her friends and stepped forward, handing InuYasha his hat.

"We've gotta hungry puppy in the house . . . any suggestions?" She posed as nonchalantly as possible, trying to break the standoff between Michael and Selene with her best smile.

"Oi wench!! I get enough of that shit from the jackass," he pulled her back against him with a possessive arm around her middle, and muttered into her neck, "I'll show you how much of a 'puppy' I am. . ." then growled pointedly, which caused her to giggle with a high blush on her cheeks.

Selene unlocked her glare on Michael and watched the couple, unable to suppress her smile. She had never seen Kagome look so. . . Happy. And Kagome was one already of the most cheerful people she had ever known. Damn Mikey and his stubbornness.

"I could order pizza . . ." Selene suggested.

"What about The Noodle Factory? We didn't actually _eat _last night," Kagome offered brightly.

"I don't wanna go anywhere. . ." the hanyou detoured, knowing fully well he couldn't show his face at that particular restaurant any time soon. ". . . what's pizza?" he asked curiously, resting his chin on Kagome's head.

Selene and Michael gawked at him. Assuming she had misheard, and he meant what _kind _of pizza, Selene went to a drawer to pull out a flyer for a local pizzeria, and handed it to him.

"What ever you want, it's all good in my opinion," she grinned.

"You eat this? It looks disgusting. . ." he muttered looking at the glossy photos . "Probably spicy too. . ." he frowned and shook his head.

"Pizza sounds great, my dear," Michael interjected forcefully, not certain what to think of Inudono's obvious lack of familiarity with the dish.

"I like the Hawaiian, Caleb. . . its not spicy," Kagome offered. "Wait, isn't there some ramen in here??" She made her way to the cupboard, pulling out a couple of packages.

"OK, it's settled. . . if _'puppy'_ doesn't like the pizza he can have ramen, so the '_puppy'_ won't starve," Michael taunted, then added with a snarl, "Or. . . the _'puppy' _could just. . . go HOME."

"Monk!! I swear!!" Selene raised a fist and shook it menacingly. Michael backed up a step and raised his hands in placation.

InuYasha's initial infuriation with the taunting wavered as he observed the two, taking note of the birthmark on Michael's hand. Stepping toward the man, he lifted his hand as though for a handshake, the hint of a scowl still on his face. Michael stared at the gesture, unsure why he was being approached like this after being so rude. Tentatively he stretched out his right hand, and was shocked when the hanyou grabbed it and flipped it over inspecting his palm.

"Kazaana . . . all that's left," InuYasha muttered, turning the hand over to inspect the back then releasing it. "Naraku died that night." He informed the confused man, then turned to Selene, "We almost made it in time for him. . . it was so close. Kami . . . I'm so sorry." Selene knew exactly what he was saying, and at the tears welling in her eyes he pulled her in for an embrace.

"What the hell are you talking about? HEY!" Michael pushed him lightly away from Selene. "Enough of that stuff, huh?" He wrapped an arm possessively around his girl.

"Tell him about the pictures, Caleb . . ." she mumbled. "The ones from Kagome's apartment."

InuYasha straightened, then blinked at the detective. He had thought that part was over.

"Pictures?" Kagome peered at InuYasha, and found guilt written all over his face. "My apartment? Maybe you should tell _me_! You were in my apartment??"

"Not like you think, Kagome!!" Selene interrupted. "He didn't do that damage. . . but he took something, didn't you Caleb? What did you take with you?" She prodded at his hesitance.

"Kagome. . . just like she was when I first saw her. . . and the God Tree, the place I slept for so long. They'd been damaged, but. . ." he looked at Kagome. "They're more than I'd had for a very long time. I couldn't just leave them there."

"OK, so he knows the legends, that doesn't prove anything," Michael snorted.

"Mikey?" Kagome was wringing her hands, confusion setting into her features.

"Ask me what you want, Monk . . . Don't talk about me like I'm not fuckin' here . . ." growled the hanyou. At Michaels obstinate expression, he shot to Kagome, "Go pack some things, you're comin' with me." Kagome stood frozen in place, not sure what was happening. "MOVE IT WENCH!" he ordered her, and she jumped, but stood her ground.

"Caleb . . ." Selene backed up a step from his heated expression. "You can't just run away from this and drag Kagome with you . . ."

"The HELL I can't! I'm not runnin', damnit!" he spat angrily. "Until I know what the fuck is going on, she'll be safer at the compound . . . I'll keep her safe. . ."

"The _compound_?? Oh, _HELL_ no!!" Michael waved his hands in negation. "_Youkai Central_ is NOT where she needs to be!!"

"Sittin' in that murdering wolf's lap is _NOT_ where she should have _been!_! Who's bright fuckin' idea was _THAT, _Monk??" InuYasha demanded pointedly.

"I wasn't in his lap . . ." Kagome whispered as a shudder ran through her. "Why would he lie to me . . ."

"Sesshoumaru has an extensive security system, _NO ONE_ gets near the gates without his knowing," InuYasha held up a finger for each point of his reasoning. "You saw what those animals did to her home . . . Do you want that_ here_?? A few slips of rice paper won't stop them, trust me . . . And until I know what the hell it is that bastard is after, I am keepin' her WITH ME!"

"Who the hell is Sesshoumaru?? There's no way I'm going to let you take . . ." Michael's determined response was cut off by Kagome's scream.

"INUYASHA!!" The hanyou froze at what was clearly the tone he usually heard just prior to being sat. "Why would Kouga tell me that you are dead??"

The silence in the kitchen was deafening in comparison to her outburst. InuYasha thought for a moment, after heaving a sigh of relief that he didn't crash through the linoleum floor.

"Um . . . Wishful thinking?" he ventured, "He didn't really say that, did he??"

"Among other things, yes." Her troubled expression worried him, and glancing at Selene the same expression was mirrored with a tiny nod of affirmation.

Gathering Kagome into his arms, he held her close for a time before speaking.

"Tell me what he said, Koi . . . all of it," he demanded gently.

"Don't call me that. . ." she glared up at him through unshed tears and pushed away from his embrace. "That's what you called _her_, isn't it? You really took my pictures??" She crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"They're in my room . . ." he told her, his eyes reflecting confusion and the sense of loss generated by her abrupt departure from his arms.

"You really loved her . . ." she whispered hoarsely, "you . . . still do."

"Of course I do, why the hell else would I be here??" She wasn't making any sense to him.

"But . . . she's gone, Caleb . . . I'm not _her_. I told Kouga basically the same thing, just before he told me . . ." her face morphed into another grimace, and she darted past him and out of the room, leaving the door swinging behind her.

Selene shook her head, and ran after her friend, leaving both men scratching their heads with confusion.

"So. . . is that why Kouga is after her? He wants to mate her?? But didn't you tell me he already has a human mate?" InuYasha asked.

"Miranda, she's Sally's cousin . . . it's been really recent. She's pregnant already," Michael thought for a few seconds. "Wait, you called him a murdering wolf. What did you mean by that??"

"He's wolf youkai . . . you've heard the Redwood Mangler reports?"

"Sure, who hasn't . . . " Michael's eyes went wide. "Oh, HELL . . . are you serious??"

"I wouldn't kid around about shit like that . . ." he fixed Michael with a poignant look, "and some of the stuff going on in town . . . That's his people. They're huntin' for something . . . " the hanyou glared at the floor.

Michael's horrified expression was unchanged and he swallowed as he realized that the thing these creatures were looking for was quite probably that pretty necklace on Kagome's neck. The tingling sensation of cold dead fingers ran up his spine.

"You, uh . . . have any idea what it is they're looking for?" he baited. InuYasha shook his head.

"Look. . ." he fixed Michael with an expression of honesty that was nearly impossible to deny. "All I want is my life back. . . Without Kagome, I have no life. . . _She is_ my life."

Michael found that earnestness impossible to believe as examined the strange being in front of him. He still wasn't convinced of anything, and he was not going to allow Kagome fall into some trap. This guy was obviously from the privileged class, not to mention having a racial advantage, if it could be considered such. Even with the new revelations about Kouga, he still didn't trust him.

"Those are pretty impressive words, coming from some affluent playboy who's only _JUST MET HER_!!" Michael spat with a look of disgust.

"I know her. . ." InuYasha countered, "I know her heart."

"Seriously, Caleb. . . You should just get back on that pretty bike of yours and go home to your mansion on the hill . . . Kagome has no use for that sort of thing . . ." Having made his decision, Michael pushed to end this invasion by the impostor. He had to protect Kagome.

"You think I am trying to lure her with luxuries? Fuck that, Monk . . . None of that shit is mine. It was there when I got here. It's all meaningless to me. My jackass brother is the one with the 'fine tastes', just give me a campfire and close friends and I am a happy guy." InuYasha's ears twitched in irritation. "All of that was taken away from me a piece at a time. . . my _family_ was taken from me and I want it back, damnit! Is that so wrong? I want my mate back . . . I want to give her all the things that I couldn't while we were off chasing rumors of shards . . . Does that make me a bad person to you??"

"I have to hand it to you, you've really done your homework," Michael crossed his arms.

"Keh!! And you all called _ME _stubborn!"

"Do me a favor, huh? Put that damn hat back on." He eyed the twitching ears on the hanyou's head. "Those just give me . . . the creeps."

"MICHAEL ANDREWS!! How _dare_ you insult him!!" Selene pushed her way through the door and promptly smacked the back of his head. "He is an _invited_ guest in my home, and I will NOT tolerate you insulting, belittling or degrading him in ANY way!! You got that?? Is that CLEAR to you??"

Michael's arms flew protectively over his head, his only response a muttered 'ow'. InuYasha raised a brow at the scene, then pointedly dropped the hat onto his head with a glare.

"Where's Kagome?" he asked Selene, glancing toward the still swinging door.

"She's in her room, go talk to her. . . she needs you, Caleb. She's just confused right now." Selene pushed open the door and nodded, directing him, "End of the hall."

_o0o_

"Kagome. . ." came a muffled plea from outside her door. "Can I come in?"

Kagome sniffed and blotted at her eyes, then blew her nose. Tucking the well used tissue back into the box, she rose to open the door.

"Shit. . . I didn't mean to make you cry. . . I'll go and. . ." she opened the door and practically dove to wrap herself around his middle, "get your pictures. I've got to get Tetsusaiga anyway." He held her close. This was how he preferred it, with her head nestled against his chest, and he was in no hurry to move. After a short time she pulled herself away from him, then grabbed his arm and yanked him through the door.

"In here, Dog-boy. . ." she demanded, closing and locking the door behind them. "Sit." She pointed at the bed, and he complied, cringing slightly at the command.

"Kagome. . ." he started. She raised her hands up waving them crosswise in front of her.

"Just. . . Shut the fuck up and listen to what I have to say," her head was down as she thought of how she was going to tell him what had to be said.

His brow shot up under his bangs at the sound of his own turn of phrase from the woman, and he too raised his hands. "Fine. . ." he then settled back onto the bed, removing his hat, to lean back on one elbow. He motioned for her to proceed.

She hesitated as she took in the sight of him, unable to get past how much he seemed to belong there, reclining on her bed. It took a little shake of her head and a deep breath to clear her mind.

"Ever since I was a little girl," she began haltingly, "I've had this image in my mind . . . part of a fairytale my momma told me." She paced in small steps, formulating her words. "He was a strong man, with a deep sense of honor . . . a real hero type, you know?" she watched for his acknowledgment. "The kind of guy that would gladly give his life to save a friend . . . He tried to hide it though, with his temper and a stubborn streak that was a mile wide," she grinned and shook her head. "But, underneath it all, he was the sweetest, most gentle, devoted, loyal person. . . who ever lived. I think. . . " She stopped for a moment, a far away look in her eyes, "secretly, I wished that he could be all mine, the image of him even invaded my dreams."

"Kagome. . ." InuYasha sat up on the bed.

"Let me finish, damnit!" she held up a hand, then dropped it. "As I grew up, all the boys I met were compared to this image, and all of them failed miserably. I have waited. . . my whole life I have waited, to find a man who could possibly meet those standards. . ." She looked at him pointedly, "And now I find I have come face to face with the _real deal_. . . never _once_ did I think that the man that I fall in love with, could be in love with someone else. . . and I am _so very jealous of her_. . . jealous of all she had with you. . ." her brow furrowed, "and a little bit angry for her too, like I would feel for a dear friend who was cheated. . ."

"What are you talking about??" He started to rise from the bed, his ears flattening, "Kagome is everything to me, YOU are everything to me!"

"Ah, ah, ah." she held up a hand, then pointed at the bed. "I'm not finished yet."

"I don't see where you're going with this," he muttered, assuming his reclining position.

"Every picture I have seen of Kagome, she was happy. . . beyond happy, she looked _joyous_. . . but why is it that she died? She traveled with you for years. . ." she laughed tersely. "Hell for most of her life! You say that she was everything to you, yet you never took her as your mate?"

"Whoa . . . hold it right there." At this he did get up. "Who told you that?"

"Does it matter who told me? She never carried your mark, that's why she died. Isn't it?"

"Do you even know what you are talking about? Kagome . . ." he moved toward her. "Is this what Kouga told you? He knows NOTHING."

"InuYasha, did you or did you not take Higurashi Kagome as your mate?" her voice had become shaky, her throat constricting.

"She was my best friend, my lover, in every sense of the word. . ." he looked at her helplessly.

"But you never marked her. . ." it was more a statement than a question, as she sat on the bed reaching for the tissue box. He sat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"That's what all this is about . . . What did Kouga tell you, exactly?" he asked gently.

"He said a lot of things, most of them not so nice. He said you were ignorant and had no one to tell you how things should be done, and that's why Kagome died." She wiped at her eyes. "He said he didn't tell you because he wanted her for himself, and kept hoping she would leave you."

"Well, that part is probably true . . . but there's something he didn't tell you," he kissed her hair. "The mating . . . for youkai is all instinct, Kagome. Even a hanyou runs on instinct when it comes to that. Its not something that is planned out. Its not some strange ceremony. The mark is part of it,sure. That's the final bond. Kagome and I had everything short of that, because she stopped me . . . every damn time she stopped me . . . She had her reasons. And they were good ones. . . and I honored her decision."

"Did you know that her life could have been extended by it?"

"It could have gone either way, hers lengthened or mine shortened . . ." he sighed. "It wouldn't have mattered to me. Just so long as I was with her. But believe me when I tell you, we were bonded," he raised her chin to look into her eyes. "I have waited a long time to find you."

Kagome studied his expression for any hint of deception. There was none. Only open honesty and so much love. Her own concerned expression dissolved to one of wonder. How it could be, she wasn't sure. She wasn't sure she cared how. This was InuYasha, and he had come for her. That alone was enough.

"Sally says that we're soul mates. . ." she whispered.

"I think Sally is very wise. . ." his kiss was feather soft, and didn't last nearly long enough in her opinion. "This time, Koi. . . I think we should do things the right way."

"The. . . right way?"

"Yeah. . . I know you well enough to know that you want. . . what did you call it? 'The real deal'. You aren't competing with anyone. It's you, Kagome . . . and _only _you. And I'll wait until you are sure of that." He sat back, looking thoughtful. "The monk seems to think I am trying to win you over with my brother's wealth. All I really have is. . . me. I hope that's good enough for you."

"Good enough?" she asked in amazement. How could he possibly think that he wouldn't be good enough? "I feel like I've been waiting at the airport for 24 years waving a sign with 'InuYasha' written on it. . ." She grinned at the confused look on his face as he tried to visualize that. "I've waited my whole life for you, and so far you have surpassed all of my expectations. A real 'dream come true'"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and drew him into a kiss like she had only dreamed about. Little nips on his lips, which he returned, then a soft parting and soon tongues were exploring each other. Tentatively at first, then more boldly. Kagome found his fangs positively fascinating as she reached one hand up to trace the lines of an ear.

A soft knocking at the door interrupted them.

"Is the puppy still hungry?" came a muffled inquiry from Selene. "Pizza is here, better get it while it's still hot."

"Shit . . . See what you've started??" InuYasha groaned, then kissed her one more time before grabbing his hat. "I'm starvin'!"

_ooO0Ooo_


	36. Chapter Thirty Five

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Thirty Five

Kagome stretched, or rather she tried to stretch. It was unusually warm and her ability to move had been strangely restricted. Eyes barely open, she took in the curtain filtered half light of early morning. The stark bareness of the pale yellow walls bothered her as her slitted eyes wandered the room in half wakefulness. She still hadn't fully adjusted to this room as being hers. It was then she focused on the scarlet clad arm and leg that were keeping her from full movement.

Tilting her chin down and to the side gave the appearance of a frown as she examined with one opened eye the hand attached to the arm draped so fluidly over her middle. It wasn't a dream after all, that was InuYasha's clawed hand. _Just like I remember it from my dreams_.

She twisted her neck to take in the angelically relaxed features of the sleeping hanyou that had imprisoned her in her bed. Halfway on his side with his head turned toward her, there was a soft click that emanated from his slightly parted lips. The pillow beneath his head had a small damp spot just under his cheek where he had drooled in his sleep.

It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

_Kami! I've got to call Momma! _She cast a glance at the clock on the end table. Too early, she would wake her if she called at this hour.

To be sleeping so soundly, InuYasha had to be exhausted. Not wishing to wake him, she realized suddenly that she had no practical experience when it came to escaping love's unconscious embrace. But nature was calling. . . and rather loudly. The entrapping leg was inconveniently placed across her lower abdomen and enhancing her discomfort. Still, she didn't want to disturb him and she let her mind wander for a while hoping he would either move or wake up.

She thought about coffee. Always her first thought in the morning, the one thing that would remedy her grogginess. She thought about the things she should be doing to prepare for her class which would be resuming the next morning. She'd done nothing for a week toward getting ready for the cultural fair, she hadn't even played her flute since that last night in her apartment. This made her frown.

Then she thought about the reason why all of her normal activities had been put on the back burner. So much had happened so fast, she barely had little time to think through it all. She thought of the kitsune-youkai that had once been like a son to her, and all the questions she hadn't had time to ask.

She thought about not having done yet what Shippou had told her, practicing her archery. Instead she had practically crawled into the lap of the demon who had ordered her apartment destroyed.

Reflexively she reached to hold the Jewel through her tee shirt. _If I had only known before. . . InuYasha was right, I shouldn't have gone anywhere near Kouga. . . A bow would give my intentions away. No one runs around with a bow. . . There must be something else I could use to fight them._

Almost immediately following this thought, InuYasha began muttering something unintelligible. Turning to his side as his ears twitched, he pulled her close to him with the arm that had been draped over her, nestling her head onto his shoulder with the other. She snuggled her back against him, grateful that the leg was no longer resting on her bladder, and tried to decipher what it was he was saying. It made no sense to her.

"Are you awake?" she asked a little timidly.

"Uhmmpfff. . ." was followed by light snoring, and she felt the tension in his arms relax as he drifted back off to his dream. The arm around her shoulders flopped against her pillow.

From this position she thought she could make her escape. Slowly and with no small attention to care, she pulled away from from him, lifting the arm draped across her waist just enough to slip out, then quickly depositing a pillow under it to maintain the illusion of her presence.

Unsure how long the "false Kagome" would work, she tiptoed as quickly as she could out the door to attend to her morning routine.

_oOo_

InuYasha awoke from a deep slumber in unfamiliar surroundings. It wasn't his normal instantaneous waking, and he shook his head free of the cobwebs that seemed to be lacing it.

Though she was not in the room, the sweet aroma of his Kagome was everywhere in this place, and that calmed him as he realized it was her rising that had pulled him awake. Listening, he could hear her puttering in the bathroom. He pulled a pillow he had been clutching to his face and pulled deeply at her scent, as memory of how he gotten there returned.

Dinner had been reasonably quiet, and he had eaten well for the first time in days. Kagome was right, that Hawaiian pizza wasn't too bad once you got past the way it looked. And the monk seemed to be very cautious about what he said, periodically clamping his mouth shut mid word after a glare from Sally.

A pillow and blanket had appeared on the end of the couch, where Michael sat for the duration of the meal. At first InuYasha had thought that the bedding had been intended for him, until Sally made it clear that it was for Michael, who was "in the doghouse" for being a baka. The phrase was a strange one, and it was apparent that this 'doghouse' wasn't a good place to be.

It saddened him a bit that the girls seemed to accept him, yet Michael only seemed to hold contempt for him. He wondered what he might do to convince the man of his sincerity.

Perhaps it was a just matter of time before the monk would accept him. Then again, it might take something a bit more drastic than just talking to shake him out of his stubborn refusal to accept what was plainly in his face.

Meanwhile, InuYasha knew it was going to be difficult to keep his temper in check. His instinctive reaction to the barbs that had been thrown at him was to lash back.

He didn't want to permanently alienate the man.

After all, for many years he had been like a brother, the closest thing he'd had to one back then. Annoying as hell one minute, then full of wisdom and good counsel the next. He had decided that it wasn't worth the fight with him to take Kagome up to the compound, he could defend her here should the need arise. He would protect her anywhere.

What he hadn't expected was to fall into such a deep sleep. He sat up on the bed rubbing at his eyes. His ears turning toward the closed door, he could hear Kagome farther off in the kitchen and water running.

At Sally's insistence he had moved his motorcycle to the garage, where it was locked away safely for the night. While they were there she had detached the object that was mounted to the roof of her car, muttering about the jerk coming back to get it. She had explained it was a surfboard, a piece of sports equipment that Hojo had left behind in his hasty retreat. Hojo. . . that name rang a bell for some reason. . .

He had called Sesshoumaru soon after that and made his report, which still wasn't much if you didn't consider Kouga's new mate being a human. He had thought that was pretty newsworthy, but his brother seemed to have no reaction whatsoever.

He still didn't know what the mangy wolf wanted with Kagome, and that irritated him.

He had gotten the distinct impression from the jackass's tone that his call had interrupted something important, probably business, so he made it short and requested that a few things be sent to him. Kagome's pictures, her date book, his sword and of course his hinezumi.

If he was going to stay, he wanted to be comfortable.

He smiled as he recalled the look on Kagome's face when she first saw him in his traditional garb, which he had changed into for sleeping. The light in her eyes had been like a gift. There was definitely memory there. She had run her hands along his arms for what seemed like hours, before finally drifting off to sleep.

There had been no formal discussion about where he would sleep. She didn't seem to have concerns about 'propriety', so he joined her in her bed, simply holding her close for what he could remember of the night.

It had been perfect.

He was in no rush. It had taken years for him to realize that she was the one. . . the _only one_. And though he wanted her more than anything now, he would wait for her come to her own realization.

He had meant what he said about doing things 'right' this time.

Not hearing anyone in the bathroom, he made his way to pursue his own morning routine. The dragon tails had been frazzled with sleeping, so he carefully drug his claws through them and the larger braid at the back of his head, loosening all of his hair. He didn't like having it all tied up, anyway.

Shaking his head briskly, he raked his claws through the sectioned hair, as he heard the back door close. There were muffled voices outside, the tone did not sound like the usual friendly banter.

He quickly grabbed Tetsusaiga from the bedroom and went into the kitchen, where his nose was assaulted with the aroma of some strongly brewed beverage emanating from a glass container. Picking up the container, he wrinkled his nose at what could have been extremely strong tea. It smelled different, though, more earthy and bitter.

He could more clearly hear an occasional clatter of metal hitting wood and a heated discussion taking place between Kagome and Michael. A quick glance around the kitchen revealed that the wooden block, which held Sally's sparse collection of kitchen knives, had been raided.

His glance out the window confirmed his suspicions. Kagome had at one time been well respected for her defensive abilities, and it pleased him to see her obvious desire to regain those skills. Perhaps kitchen tools weren't the best weapons, but they were serviceable in a pinch.

_I should look into gettin' her a good set of well balanced knives. Those odd sizes have got to be a pain in the ass._

InuYasha paused to listen. Since it was loud enough anyone outside could hear, he didn't think of it as being a blatant case of eavesdropping.

"So. . . _does_ he have a tail?" Michael leered at her.

"Does he have a _WHAT?_" Kagome gasped. "I can't _believe_ you!

"Well. . . he has ears, I just wondered if he has tail too. . . I mean you would know, right? You _DID _sleep with him last night, after all," there was a hint of accusation in the monk's tone.

"That's exactly what happened, Mikey. . . we SLEPT! It's none of your damn business, anyway! ARRGH!" InuYasha raised a brow at Kagome brandishing a large butcher knife at her friend, and said friend simply folding his arms with a grim look.

"I think it _is _my business. I love you Kagome, I don't want to see you throw your life away on. . . _that. . . _"

"You just don't like him because you didn't hand pick him for me!" Kagome threw the butcher knife at the tree, to watch it bounce off.

"That's not true, my only concern is your safety! AND believe it or not, your happiness, too," Michael's tone was lecturing. "Frankly I don't understand what it is you see in him. . . he's nothing like you. . ."

"Nothing like me?" She stopped mid toss of another knife. "You're probably right, I could only dream of being _half _as LOYAL as he is. . ." She fixed him with a pointed look, then turned and swung her makeshift weapon backhanded, sticking it in the tree with a thud. Michael gaped and swallowed. The hanyou in the kitchen smirked.

He apparently had not seen her do this before.

"Loyal, huh? Who is he being loyal to. . . by trying to deceive you?"

_Oh, this shit again. . . _

"There_ IS NO _deception, Mikey," she turned to him. "I _know_ who he is, he _didn't tell me_. I figured it out all by myself," she reached down to pick up a cleaver. "It's hurt him that you don't remember. . . he won't admit it. . . he's _almost_ as stubborn as YOU are!" She stopped for a moment and concentrated on the cleaver, suffusing it with power. InuYasha's brow disappeared beneath his bangs at the brightness of the glow. "You had a vague recollection of Shippou when you saw him. Even more than me, and I had adopted him! Why not InuYasha?"

_Shippou? They've seen the runt? _

"Something about the sad look in those big kitsune eyes. . . tugged at me. . . Oh, hell. . . Shippou is_ hundreds_ of years old, Kagome! You can't tell me that. . . _guy _in there is hundreds of years old. He looks a hell of a lot younger than Shippou does. . . and yet he supposedly raised him? Give me a break! Don't tell me it's his questionable lineage, either. . . he's not who you think he is. . ."

InuYasha started for the door. . . but a word she used in her response caught his attention, and he stopped. . .

"You are starting to sound like a bigot. . ." She turned and tossed the brilliantly pink cleaver at the tree, and it bounced off into the grass. Scowling she turned to him. "Tell me about _your _lineage, Mikey. . . How many different nationalities are concentrated in _your blood_?"

_Bigot. . . Kagome used that word . . . when people would shun me. Is that what this is? Because I'm hanyou?_

"I beg your pardon?" He lifted his nose into the air haughtily. "I don't see. . ."

"There's a lot more than just two," she began counting on her fingers. "British, Ukrainian, Native American, Portuguese, Italian. . . wait there was one more. . ."

"What is your point Kagome?" He demanded.

"Just that you have _one hell of a nerve_ using the term 'questionable lineage' when referring to InuYasha. You are being racist, and you are too stubborn to see it!"

"Don't call him that. . . His name is Caleb, damnit!" He shook his head.

"_Caleb's_ 'questionable lineage' to use _your_ term, is only two cultures, where yours is. . . let's see. . . six." She held up six fingers.

Michael held up his hands in a conciliatory fashion.

"It's hardly the same thing, Kagome. . . None of my ancestors were _demons_," he matched her scowl. "You haven't told him yet, have you? Please tell me you haven't. . ."

_Tell me what?_

"I'm going to today, after I call Momma," she tossed a steak knife and watched it bounce off the tree with a frown. "You were in such a hurry for Hojo to know. . . Damn Mikey, from what InuYasha said last night, it was _Kouga's people_ that tore up my place! Probably the shrine too! That means that Kouga is after it!" She slapped a palm against her head. "And I stupidly went right to him! Gods, I hope Hojo didn't say anything to him. . ."

_What the hell? After what. . .? The shrine? What happened at the shrine. . ._

"I'm not taking any more risks unless I talk to Momma first." She gathered the knives from around the tree. He watched her examine the cleaver that she had charged with her power, then step back to throw another round at the tree.

"That's probably wise, I am sure she will be able to talk some sense into you," he sighed. "You are blinded by this guy. Ouna knows how you feel, Kagome."

"What do you mean by that?" she aimed and threw another knife.

"It's written all over your face when ever you talk about. . . InuYasha" he moved around so that he could see her face, and still be out of the line of fire. His reward was a narrow eyed glare.

"It's nice to know I am so damn transparent. . ." she snarled, then proceeded to throw a perfect score with three knives in rapid succession. "What time is it?"

Michael watched with a renewed respect while she tugged to get the knives out of the wood.

"Um. . . it's seven thirty. You been doing this on the sly for a while?" he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Just got the idea this morning to try this, a bow is too obvious. Momma said using a projectile was best, so why not one I can hide on my person?" She aimed again, missing one out of five.

_Yep, a new set of knives. Good ones. I'll take her with me, and she can pick 'em out. _

Facing the house, Michael saw movement beyond the window. InuYasha, realizing he had been discovered, grabbed a glass from the drainer and got himself a drink of water. He then went out the back door and stood on the small porch, left hand relaxed on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.

"You're awake!" Kagome turned smiling at the vision he made in his traditional dress, complete with sword. "Did you rest OK?"

Michael was frozen in place. He had not seen the hinezumi before that moment. The light breeze tossed InuYasha's mane as he stared at the man.

"I rested fine, you should've woke me up," his eyes didn't leave Michael, there was something about the look on the man's face.

"You just seemed so tired, and you were dreaming. I hate it when my dreams are interrupted. . ." Kagome trotted up the stairs and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Want some coffee?"

"Coffee?" His brow furrowed slightly, remembering the beverage in the glass container. "Kind of like tea, but stronger?"

Kagome giggled at that. "Yeah, like tea but stronger. I'll make you some, sweet and light and we'll see how you like it." She brushed past him into the kitchen.

"Do you have something to say, Monk?" InuYasha asked, his expression masked and the way he stood unmoved would have made Sesshoumaru proud.

"You. . . are wearing a sword?" Michael inquired hesitantly.

"Yeah" He nodded slowly. "Would you like to see?" InuYasha's broke into a genuine grin as he jumped easily over the rail of the porch to the ground five feet below.

Michael swallowed noticeably and backed up a pace.

"The sword was left to me by my father, would you like to see it?" InuYasha pressed hopefully.

"O-ok, sure." Michael's eyes narrowed as InuYasha drew Tetsusaiga, taking care to not transform it. "Looks like it could use some T.L.C.. You don't get to use it much, I take it."

"Often enough," the hanyou grinned. "Only when absolutely necessary. It's my weapon of choice."

"Your father was a master?" Michael reached out to touch the blade lightly. He looked confused.

"My father was Inu no Taisho. . . A general. He died when I was little." InuYasha lifted the rusted blade to his brow. "This is his legacy to me. He left the jackass one too, his is really different, though."

"How is his different?"

"Slightly different design,_ very_ different properties." InuYasha was enjoying just talking without the barbs or accusations.

"Properties?" Another confused look, as Michael backed up again examining the being before him. "What do you mean by properties?"

"One of the lessons I learned from Tetsusaiga is that looks can be deceiving," he watched the man for any hint of recognition as he held the sword off to his right, away from his audience and transformed it with a smirk.

"Oh shit, I'm dead. . ." muttered Michael dropping to his knees.

"INUYASHA!" Came a frantic shriek from the porch, accompanied by the resonant crash of a shattered coffee mug. Kagome nearly tripped with her rapid descent of the stairs to save Michael.

"Nani? I was just showin' him Tetsusaiga. . ." he looked down at Michael. "What the Hells is wrong with you?" He was completely unaware of the appearance of the scenario, the man on his knees and Tetsusaiga poised as though to strike.

All he had hoped for, was to jog a memory for the man.

_ooO0Ooo_

Kouga looked across the table at the angry young man that had so rudely awakened he and his mate moments before. The news that he had brought with him was a bit disturbing, and the youkai sat in the chair rubbing at his chin.

"You did as I said? You made the proclamation?" he raised a brow at the young man.

"You heard it! You were right there. . . right after you put her in my arms," Hojo so much as growled at the demon.

"Baka! Whispering it into her ear with only one witness isn't enough. You've got to make it _KNOWN_ what your intentions are!" He rose from the seat, and as Miranda entered the room, he waved her away. Miranda in a display of frustration, just raised her hands and waved them in the air as she turned and headed back to their room.

"What did you say to the intruder?" the demon demanded.

"What do you think? I challenged him for taking my girl. . . Kouga! He grabbed her right out of my arms! Then he insulted everyone, saying we all smelled 'like those mangy Ookami bastards'. . ." Hojo got up as well and also paced opposite of his mentor in the small kitchen. "I swear I could have killed him on the spot, if that damn Sally didn't pull out her stupid badge and demand that I leave. I really don't want a record. . . that would be like. . . so bad. But DAMNIT! He can't have her! You told me she was mine, you gave your blessings on it! What do I do?"

"You said he was sitting on a motorcycle, waiting for you? Do you know this son-of-a-bitch?" Kouga watched the young man's expression morph from angry to pleading, then enraged.

"I don't _know_ him, but I know _about_ him. . ." he practically growled again. "He's the kid brother of Seth Inudono. The one that was missing. His name is Caleb."

"Kuso. . ." the demon swore, rubbing at his temple against a ferocious headache that had suddenly struck behind his eyes.

"You know this guy? Tell me then. . . tell me how to get her back. . ." Hojo dropped to his knees in front of his savior, again pleading. "Please, Lord Kouga. . . tell me how to kill that bastard."

Placing a hand on the young man's head, peering at the pleading expression on his face, Kouga silently blessed him. He was a good tool. He would serve him well. Now it was time for a plan. . . the demise of InuYasha.

"You said she acted like she knew him. But she called him _Caleb_?" Kouga returned to the chair and turned it around to straddle it. His hands on the back, he rested his chin on them as he watched his protege still kneeling on the floor.

"Yes. . . called him by name then she touched his face." He looked up at his mentor. "She was barely lucid, then after he took her she just. . . her whole face lit up and she slapped my hands away." He lowered his head in shame and sadness.

"All is not lost, my son. . . Didn't I bring her to _you_? Didn't I promise this reward for your trust in me?" Kouga grinned wolfishly. At Hojo's nod, he motioned him to the chair opposite him. "I know Caleb Inudono. He should already be dead. . . but we will remedy that soon enough, ne? Come. . . let me tell you what I know of him. As tough as the bastard talks, he has. . . vulnerabilities. . ."

_ooO0Ooo_

The ancient office chair groaned as Selene sat back, scowling at the foot hight stack of reports in front of her. Each and every one of them was an unsolved case, all occurring within the last two weeks.

Some were missing persons reports, there were four murders involving dismemberment, twenty three cases of vandalism, some of which were quite bizarre. Definitely not human caused, no human could knock through a three foot thick concrete wall without the use of some kind of equipment. She flashed on the savagery of strength it had to have taken to destroyed Kagome's door. No, not human.

A far majority of the reports came from the upper class neighborhoods, but there also were a number from the mission district and the docks. It's like the middle class were immune for some reason. This struck her as strange.

Studying the graph chart on her computer, the lines indicated the 'trends' of daily calls all by category. . . Homicide, Burglary, Robbery, Vandalism, Traffic, Domestic. Flipping through the screens she noticed a marked dip in all areas in the last 3 days. Speculation within the department had been varied, but the far most popular was the "Cult" theory. Some emerging cult that required human sacrifice. The thought brought a chill up her spine.

She allowed herself the luxury of a brief hope that Michael was behaving himself in her absence as she pulled a file off the top of the stack and began making notes on a fresh legal pad, sifting through the report and scene photo's with her 'new eye'.

Three hours passed without her notice, however the diminishing paper in her tablet pulled her attention. Picking it up and flipping the detailed pages back to the front, a steaming mug of coffee appeared in front her.

"You look like you could use a break, rookie," the teasing half grin of her Captain pulled one of her own as she took the coffee from him and rubbed at her eyes. Taking a cautious sip, she raised a brow.

"Hey, this isn't half bad. . ." she took another sip, "usually the coffee around here tastes like rancid motor oil."

"I've got my own stash. You coming up with anything?" He perched himself on the edge of her desk informally. Selene pulled up the graph on her screen.

"You notice the drop in the last three days?" She flipped between the screens, "Here, and. . . here. . . It's sufficient enough to get me thinking. Almost like someone put the word out to 'lay off', you know?"

"So. . . you think it's some kind of organized campaign too. . ." he watched her reaction carefully as he tipped his own mug to his lips.

"Actually Cap. . . I'm convinced of it." She met his eyes. "It turns out that friend of mine does have something that they would have been looking for. But it was on her person, so of course they didn't find it."

"Ok. . . I'm listening. . ." he set his mug down and folded his arms.

"It's a family heirloom of sorts. . . It's unique and from what I understand, priceless," Selene hoped that her vague description would be enough.

"Living in _that tiny _place, she has a priceless heirloom?" He shook his head. "What is it, a diamond or something?"

She wondered if she should have said anything at all. He was her superior, and he had a right to know on a professional level, but she was reluctant to go into personal details. She knew it would be too fantastic for him to believe, anyway.

"No. . . not a diamond.," she proceeded cautiously. "It's a necklace. . . a very old necklace that once belonged to an ancestor of hers. It dates back to Feudal Japan."

"Well, Hell. . . It sounds like this thing belongs in a museum." He picked up his mug and took another drink. "What makes you think the perps were looking for this thing in particular?"

"You're gonna laugh, Cap," she sat back in her chair and it creaked. "You'll brand me a loon."

"Try me, Rodriguez. . . you might be surprised," he grinned.

"Ok. . ." she sat up straight watching his reaction. "It's rumored to be 'supernatural'." She used two fingers of each hand to indicate quotation marks

He stared at her for a long moment.

"So you think that this is some kind of cult. . . searching for their own version of the 'Holy Grail'?" His eyes narrowed as he considered the theory.

"Something like that. . . told ya you'd think I was crazy." She sat back again in her seat.

"Actually. . . it makes about as much sense as any other speculation I've heard lately." He rubbed at his chin. "Have you seen any indication as to what kind of group this is?"

"Kind of. . . they uh. . . emulate wolves." She grimaced slightly at the memory of that predatory look in Kouga's eyes. "One of 'em is involved with a cousin of mine. . . I met him yesterday - quite honestly . . he gave me the creeps."

"Sounds like you are as close to an expert as we've got then. . . I'm going to talk to the Chief and see if we can set a special unit. This," he nodded at the still high stack of reports, "is entirely too much for one person."

"Actually, Cap. . . I know someone who's more of an expert." She sat forward in her chair, fixing her Captain with an intense gaze. "He knows how these guys think. . . a helluva lot better than I do. Maybe we could bring him in as a consultant?" she asked hopefully.

"What's his name? He a psychic or something?"

"No, not a psychic. . . just has some experience with these types. Caleb Inudono, he's seeing my roommate."

"Inudono, huh?" He looked at her thoughtfully. "The same one that kicked out the front window of The Noodle Factory on Friday night?"

This got her attention, and she gaped at him.

"That one wouldn't be in your stack here. . . resolved on the scene, no charges pressed. Seems his brother took care of the restitution immediately. I don't know," he shook his head. "He's a loose canon by the looks of it. . . probably not a good pick, you know anyone else?"

"Nope – he's it." Selene shook her head. " Cap, if we're going to make this happen. . . I really need him."

"Let me call the Chief," he rose off her desk. "If you want some more of that," he indicated her mug, "it's in my office." He winked at her, then headed down the line of desks to make his call.

Selene jerked her fist down in a silent little cheer, then pulled her hands into her lap to cross her fingers. _Wait. . . did he just WINK at me?_

_ooO0Ooo_

A/N : Finally, another chapter, eh? Many thanks to the reviewers, you all keep me going with your kind words. My apologies that the frequency of the updates are slower now, however I promise to remain faithful to you and continue to the very end.

_REVIEWERS_

_Thank you all so very much. _

_JTravis: I am looking forward to it!_

_ mdjw-muse911 cuteness: missing you already _

_ADSV: you make me think, I get brain cramp...Ugh _

_1Princesskiki1: hmm shrine huh?  
_

_ jen_  
_ jadewolf_  
_ Kitty1205_  
_ Zen Bohemian_  
_ Elemental Alchemist08_  
_ ciara_  
_ Moo Straberry_  
_ InuYashasLover_  
_ Midnight-angel910_

_Until Next Time!_

_metsuki_


	37. Chapter Thirty Six

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

Finding Kagome

Chapter Thirty Six

"Good grief! Put that. . . that . . . FANG away!" Kagome sputtered pointing at Tetsusaiga. "There's no danger here, why would you DO that?"

"I. . . w-was just. . ." InuYasha's focus shot back and forth between the two, his mouth working, though not very effectively. All he had seemed to accomplish was to piss Kagome off, and that was the last thing he had wanted or intended to do.

Heaving a sigh, he transformed his sword as he slipped it back into its scabbard, giving the illusion of an extremely large blade sliding into a very narrow encasement.

Michael watched this in awe, then exhaled markedly in relief, still uncertain what had just transpired. He reached a hand behind his neck and rubbed at the spot that was still tingling in its expectation of a mortal blow.

"Brandishing that. . . that _THING _at him WASN'T the answer!" Her face had reddened with her anger which seemed to radiate waves of heat that blasted the hanyou. "You can't force him to accept you. . . any more than I can. . ."

"Kami, Kagome. . . I just . . . I'm tired of all the fighting."

InuYasha reached his hand down to grab Michaels arm in a traditional warrior's grip, and easily pulled him to standing. All the while Michael guardedly watched the scabbard that held the now untransformed sword.

"Damnit, I mean no threat to you, monk." InuYasha's tone was gentle, and Michaels eyes lifted to pierce those of the hanyou intensely for a moment, neither relinquishing their grasp of the other's arm.

Michael looked down briefly and shook his head. "Don't call me that." Meeting InuYasha's eyes once more he took a deep breath. "My name is Michael Andrews. . . not Monk, or Hooshie, or Bozo."

"Not Bozo. . . Bouzu." Golden eyes softened as he explained, "That's what I called Miroku. . . I called him. . . priest."

"Oh," uncertainty crossed his features with the monosyllabic response.

"And you thought all this time he was insulting you. . . oh Mikey. . ." Tentatively reaching for her friend, she let her arm drop as he pulled away from both of them.

"I've got to go change," he mumbled, not meeting their eyes.

Kagome watched him as he skulked his way up the stairs and into the house, brushing at the dampness on his legs. She could feel InuYasha watching her, and she pointedly folded her arms before meeting his gaze.

But her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw his chagrined expression. Ears flat against his head, it was like they were just. . . gone. His whole countenance was mournful and it broke her heart.

"InuYasha. . ." Kagome uncrossed her arms and reached for him. "I. . . I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I had it comin'. . ." he pulled his eyes from her, then glanced at the tree. "I honestly didn't mean to scare him."

"I know. . . he's just. . . overwhelmed I think. It not like him to be so. . . so_ mean_." Kagome took his arm, running her hand along the fabric of his sleeve. "I don't know how to make it all ok. I wish I did. . . I love you both."

She hugged his arm.

"But he. . . can't have you," pulling his arm from her, he suddenly reached behind her and swooped the shocked woman up into his arms, which jerked a little squeak from her before she giggled. Kissing her forehead he jumped easily up to a high branch of the old walnut tree, and settled back against the trunk. Dropping smoothly to a sitting position he gathered her into his lap.

Kagome was breathless for few seconds as she adjusted to the change of perspective, as well as the insane butterflies which suddenly attacked her stomach as a result of his enveloping proximity. After spending a whole night every bit as close as they were at that moment, this felt vastly different. She idly fingered the unusual necklace that he was wearing.

His presence had been unbelievably comforting while they slept. He had shown no expectations other than to be allowed to hold her. It was all entirely new ground for her, and it was as though he understood that.

"You do realize," he tilted his head to read her expression, "that I have no intention of letting you go."

Kagome's brow furrowed.

"I certainly hope not. . ." she looked down toward the yard below them. "First off. . . I'd fall."

"That's not what I mean," he took her chin bringing her nose next to his, "and you know it."

"I think. . ." her lashes veiled her eyes as they lowered to his lips, "I do. . ."

"Good," his voice was low and sultry, inviting and yet demanding. "Now. . . are you gonna tell me what the fuck it is that Kouga is after?"

"Huh?" She pulled back to find dusky golden eyes locked onto her. Wasn't this the part where the hero was supposed to kiss the girl? So much for relying on movies and romance novels for guidance.

"You heard me. . . You know what it is. . . spit it out," his tone hadn't changed, barely over a whisper, seductive and warm, and while it stirred those rampant wings barraging her insides, the subject matter was disconcerting. The contradiction of the moment unsettled her completely, and she focused away from her inquisitor. A swimming flash of memories from the day before on the beach settled to one moment. _Kouga, grasping her shoulder almost painfully as he snarled at her, "Shows how much you know."_

"What has he ever been after?" Squirming slightly, she attempted evasion. She knew it had to be the Jewel, but there had seemed to be so much. . . more. The lies and the half truths the demon had rained on her yesterday had brought her to her knees. Too many confusing thoughts cascaded in her mind and a straightforward answer to his question had become impossible.

"Other than you? Who the hell knows. . . that chaotic bastard never did make any sense to me," he pressed his forehead against the side of her head, a deep breath and she knew he was smelling her hair again.

"He's got a mate. . . and a pregnant one at that. . ." she heard Michael sweeping up the broken mug on the back porch.

"Damn straight, and you're spoken for. . ." he brushed back her hair and traced her neck with his lips causing her to shudder as electricity shot through her entire being. Just a breath in her ear he whispered, "Talk to me, Koi. . . please. . . I can't protect you unless I know everything."

How was it he could question her and torture her so lovingly at the same time? He hadn't been in her life more than a day, and he could play her like a finely tuned instrument.

"I. . ." the chime of the house phone interrupted her and she flinched at the sound. "I bet that's Momma. . ."

"Wait. . . Not so fast. . . C'mere. . ." he pulled her tightly to him and dropped his lips to hers, enveloping them with his own in a demand that she instinctively responded to. Fisting his hair in her hand, she felt as if she were falling, forever falling.

"Ah, I found them. . . Kagome!" Michael called. "Ouna wants to know exactly 'WHO' is here? Your message was a little vague." Michael spoke into the phone, "You know that old sing song, Ouna. . . Two little love birds, sitting in a tree. . ."

"_MICHAEL!" _ Kagome broke contact and winced at the thought that he had just implied to her mother that she was making out. She didn't miss the light blush on InuYasha's cheeks as he glanced down at the man who sported a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, his name is Caleb and he's a biker. . ." he continued, casually. "No, she didn't like the one I picked, that engineering student? Yeah. . . so she found one on her own. I know, I thought it was a little fast too, but. . . I think she likes the bad boys, to be honest. . . no, I don't think he works. . ."

"Kami! Mikey! Your really cruisin' for it!" She growled, rounding her fist at her friend as InuYasha slipped off the branch and brought them down from the tree in a single smooth movement. She held onto him tightly, not accustomed to the sensation of the drop. Mikey was making her sound like she was actually looking to get involved with someone. . . anyone. . . like a tramp.

"_DON'T LISTEN TO HIM MOMMA!" _InuYasha's ears flattened at the screech, as he set her on her feet and she ran to cuff Michael on the shoulder, with a pronounced, _"Beast!"_

Michael's smirk was unrepentant as he handed her the phone.

"You're really an ass, aren't you?" InuYasha growled.

"Momma? Kami, Momma. . . it's. . . noooooo, Mikey is just being a jerk." Kagome crossed her eyes then stuck out her tongue in a childish 'nyaa nyaa' fashion at her friend, then moved up the stairs and into the house for more privacy. "It's. . . yes, Caleb Inudono. . . but Momma. . . yes, he rides a motorcycle, Momma. . . But. . . but. . . No! He's not like that! Momma! Will you listen?"

Michael folded his arms with a smug expression, then matched the scorching challenge in the hanyou's glower.

._ooO0Ooo_

Hojo sat back on the couch of his third floor walk-up transfixed on the small screen of his laptop. The orders this morning had been clear, he had two weeks to accomplish the task at hand.

No problem.

And in exchange he would have Inudono's ass handed to him on a platter. Equal ground, Kouga had said. No tricks. No special powers to work around. A clean shot.

Then Kagome would be his. For good. No more foul mouthed hanyou to yank her out of his arms.

The first step was to set up the website, simple enough. But the blank screen in front of him was daunting and it mocked his resolve.

Setting up the proxy was easy enough, it was important that the origin of the material not be easily traced. Routing everything through the University's system would give them the anonymity that was required. Kouga had said there were factions of his tribe that would not be pleased, and there was danger involved in how they would try to silence this 'movement' they had planned.

But the youkai leader had made him his human left hand. Perfect really, since Hojo was left handed. He had explained that his mate would always be at his side, but that Hojo would be there too, as his 'ningen liaison'. A leader in his own right, now it was up to him to build the following.

The trust that had been placed in him warmed him to his core. There was so much truth in what the youkai said, truth that had been hidden. . . veiled throughout the myths of his ancestors. Kouga was quickly becoming more like family to him than his own blood.

Soon he would have it all, rank, privileges, and the woman of his dreams.

And she really was a dream. The first time he laid eyes on her. . . he _knew _her. With those watery blue eyes, pouting lips, with just the hint of a cleft in her narrow chin. That thick, wavy, chocolate brown hair piled into a tail atop her head, she had completely captured his heart. Then she smiled. . . and the sun came out, even though it was the middle of the night. And that temper, _Gods._ . . she was even more beautiful with her face bright in anger. He could have taken her right there in the restaurant. . . such passion! A woman who reacted so intensely just had to be a fire cat in the sack. He'd had to sit down to conceal his growing 'reaction' to her outburst.

He had stayed in the water for the same reason. That little swimsuit she wore had driven him to distraction, with her languorously long legs and the collar enhancing her already ample bust line. He couldn't keep his eyes off her, or his hands from touching her. It had been embarrassing when he acted on impulse at the arcade.

Mike had explained her outburst at the mall, though it honestly didn't make much sense. He had told him she was untouched, never having dated really. . . yet she held onto something from the past, some idea of a former life and some_one _she only knew of from her dreams.

He had understood that much. She was the shining, living personification of his own dreams.

There had never been a name, but she was the one.

Kouga knew. Kouga had understood from the start. Kouga would make it right.

She would ultimately be his.

But he had to earn her.

And it all started with this first step, the mocking blank page.

Reaching for his beer that had been warming on the end table beside him, his eyes narrowed and his brain began to work.

_ooO0Ooo_

Selene looked up from the file on her desk to see her Captain standing examining her with his arms folded, and released the breath she had been unconsciously holding. She'd heard him make his way through the desk heavy, albeit people shy office, being a Sunday, and her hopeful expression faded on seeing the look on his face.

"You want the good news, or the bad news first?" He asked, his head tilted slightly.

"I don't get my consultant, I take it," she dropped the pen from her cramped hand and her chair creaked noisily as she sat back and massaged it.

"I'm sorry, Rodriguez." His lips thinned and he uncrossed his arms, rubbing at a temple. "It wasn't for lack of trying. . . His record. . ."

"Kicking out a window is a federal offense now?" She snapped, looking up from rubbing the sore muscle between her thumb and forefinger.

"Just let me finish, Rookie!" His tone officially chastising her, she schooled her obstinate expression.

"As I was saying, his record is exemplary, barring that incident the other night. Or better put. . . nonexistent," shook his head in a mildly confused way. With the legal system as it was, it was a rare bird that made it to the age of 25 with not one mark on their sheet. "It's the funding. . ."

Selene slumped in her chair. It was always about money. Everything seemed to carry a price tag, even doing what was _right_. She swore under her breath, not seeing her Captain's observations of her reaction.

"You ready for the good news yet? Or do you want to pout a little longer. . ." he asked, recrossing his arms with a raised brow.

"Fine. . . what's the good news?" she cast him a sidelong glance.

"It seems we have a contract with City College. Something new. . . we have some students coming in on Tuesday from the Administration of Justice Department. They're all yours. Use them wisely."

"Greeeaaat. . . I get to babysit. . ." She frowned and rubbed at her eyes with one hand. "That's about all the 'good news' I can take. . ." she perused the paper chaos that her desk had become, and began closing folders. "I think I'm _over it _for today, Cap."

"It's the extra hands you _need_ to get through that pile you seem to be so fond of. . . _supervising_ is a better term, these are bright kids." Glancing at his watch, he put his hand on her shoulder, which drew her attention first to his hand then to meet his concerned expression.

"Why don't you go home and take a nice bubble bath, soak this out," he pressed his thumb firmly into her taught shoulder muscle, eliciting a low groan from her. "Thought so. . . You could use some R & R."

"Riiiight. . . I'll just run right home and do that," her tone dripped with sarcasm, as she jerked her shoulder out from under his touch. A bubble bath. . . typical male suggestion to an overwrought female, the thought made her want to scream.

She was more concerned with the damage control she was going to have to face when she got home. She _just knew_ Michael was being a baka, there was no telling what she was going to find.

Hopefully her house would still be in one piece.

_oOo_

Selene couldn't help the sigh of relief at seeing her placid little house still intact, as she pulled into the driveway. Glancing at the passenger seat, she felt a pang of guilt for ferreting out the few files that she had, hiding them inside her over sized jacket. But she needed to get some feedback from Caleb on some of the oddities cataloged at the scenes. Her hopes were that she would be able to convince him to actually _go with her_ on a follow up, unofficially of course. Damn the funding crisis.

Killing the engine silenced her 'background music'. . . and on opening the car door she was immediately assaulted with what appeared to be a continuation of the argument from the night before. Heated masculine voices carried all the way to out the driveway, she was surprised that none of the neighbors were outside investigating.

Bursting through the front door and down the hall, Selene found all parties present and accounted for in the living room. Mikey was sporting a pair of her sweatpants, which seemed a bit odd, and Caleb and Kagome were dressed for an outing apparently. Caleb was wearing his hat, and Kagome was in a blue turtleneck and her only pair of jeans.

So wrapped in their mutual anger, neither of the men had noticed her entrance. Kagome however was cowered in the corner of the couch, covering her ears, face wet with tears.

"If I didn't know better, I would swear you were _jealous_!" Shouted the hanyou.

"Don't make me laugh! _Jealous_? _Of YOU_? Oh HELL no! You aren't taking her, damnit! I won't allow it!" Michael was beat red and scowling.

"It's not like you have a choice, baka! You're not her old man! I'm taking her! I can't BELIEVE how you screwed things up with her mother like that. Just another fucking tree for me to have to jump!" His voice hoarse, he turned his furious glare toward her movement as she approached Kagome. "He's warded the fucking doors, Sally."

"YOU!" She pointed at Michael then toward the kitchen, "OUTSIDE!. . . cool your heels. I'll talk to you in a minute. . ."

"But. . ." he seemed to bark, as he motioned toward Caleb with both hands.

"Don't you DARE 'but' me, Monk! GET OUT THERE!" Selene squared her stance, she was more than ready for a good scrap, and she didn't really care who's ass she kicked at this point.

"Just god damn GREAT!" He threw his arms up in frustration, then slammed the butt of his hand on the top of the door jam as he passed through it. The room seemed to vibrate from the force of the action and Selene blinked at the now vacant portal.

"What about the damn doors?" Caleb demanded, hands on his hips.

"YOU! IN THERE!" she snapped back and pointed toward Kagome's room. "Not until you cool off, I want to know what the hell has happened here!"

"The FUCK?" He gaped at her. "Ain't there some kinda law about keepin' people prisoner?"

"You heard me. . . can't you see what you two have done to her?" She motioned to the very distraught Kagome still cornered on the couch, now burying her face into a throw pillow. "Now GO! Let me talk to her. . ."

"Shit. . ." his remorse evident on seeing Kagome, he moved toward the hallway door, stopping to glance back with a final word. "Michael really screwed things up. . . he made us both sound. . . bad."

"'Gome, what happened?" She sat next to the woman who was more like her little sister, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I. . . I'm not sure. . . InuYasha was going to take me for a ride on his bike, and Mikey had already warded the doors." She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her turtleneck, then sniffed noisily. "He said he wasn't letting me out of his sight."

"What's this stuff about your mom?" Selene brushed at Kagome's bangs with her free hand.

"Oh, Kami!" Fresh tears formed at the mention of the fated phone call. "He made me out to be a trollop!"

"Trollop?" Selene's brow creased. Kagome had read entirely too many Gothic Romances for her own good, apparently.

"You know. . . bouncing from one guy to another like a. . . a. . . whore or something,"she dashed at her eyes with the back of her hand. "He made InuYasha out to be evil incarnate, at least to my mother. . . the big-bad-hairy-biker come to defile her daughter."

"Didn't you tell her? I mean who he really is?" Selene demanded.

"After hearing what Mikey said, she thinks I am delusional, or on drugs. . . probably drugs supplied by Caleb Inudono. . . Oh Sally!" She threw herself into her friend's arms.

The Monk was long overdue for a good ass-whooping. Selene knew he could be sneaky and underhanded if it was ever called for. But this far out distanced her expectations for the kind of trouble he might cause in her absence. She grimaced with guilt when she realized it had been her own idea to ward the doors. But that had been to prevent possible theft of the Jewel.

"Does Caleb know about. . . your necklace?" Kagome shook her head against her shoulder. "So where were you going to go?"

"Just out. . . for a ride," her voice was muffled, and she pulled back. "He just got his bike yesterday, and he wanted me to show him around town. I wanted to take him down to the pier, it's such a pretty day."

"Why don't you go wash your face, honey. . . I'll talk to them."

The last thing she wanted was for Caleb to break one of her windows to get out, so she detoured to Kagome's room first and tapped on the door.

"Yeah," came his muffled reply.

Opening the door, she found him sitting at the head of the bed, back against the headboard with his hat dipped over his eyes. Raising it, he scowled at her.

"I just wanted to make sure you know," she stepped in a short pace, "the windows have latches, so they open easily. No need to break them." She smiled her sweetest smile.

"O-ok. . ." the confused expression on his face as he cast a glance at the window them back at her almost made her want to laugh. Even if he weren't the legendary Dog-boy, she could see why Kagome had grown so attached to him so quickly. He was adorable.

"Hey, Sally. . ." he sat forward with a look of concentration. "What's Michael's weapon of choice?"

"Weapon? He's not really much of a fighter. . ." She considered a moment. "Why?"

"If he were to fight in a challenge, what would he use?" He pressed.

"Are you considering challenging him?" Worry washed over her features.

"Words aren't workin'. . . I couldn't _really_ hurt him, you know that, right?" He took his hat off, and set it beside him. "I dunno how to get through to him, it's a last recourse. . . so what kind of weapon?"

"Does there have to be a weapon? Why not just hand to hand?" She sat on the edge of the bed, considering the ramifications of what he was trying to say.

"I got unfair advantage," he flexed his claws. "I couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't get cut. No blood. . . no bloodshed between brothers. . . understand?"

"You know, I think I do. . ." she bit her lower lip. The level of honor in that simple statement was refreshing. And that he considered Michael as a brother, even after all the jabs and hateful comments, spoke volumes. "He used to belong to a renaissance group, he told me once. They had competitions. This was a long time ago, long before I ever knew him."

"Competitions, like. . . tournaments?" He sat forward with interest.

"Yeah, he said he did pretty well with a quarter staff. I've never seen him actually fight before, though." She watched his ears twitch as he processed what she had said. "You mean it. . . that you wouldn't intentionally harm him?"

"Just want to make a point. . . He's too damned possessive of Kagome. It's like he thinks that she's his. . . and she ain't. . . she's mine."

"You're really sure about that. . ." it was more a statement than a question.

"Never had a doubt, not once I knew for sure who she was," came his response. He fingered the rosary thoughtfully.

"Don't worry about her mom, she'll come around. Ouna has a second sense about things. . . once she sees you, she'll understand. . . and all of Mikey's meddling will be for nothing. . ." she reached over and gently squeezed his shoulder. "Trust me on that."

"I sure hope you're right," he sighed plaintively. "Her momma's trust and belief in her is so important to Kagome."

"That's the thing, she's never lost that. . . and I don't think she's lost it now," Selene offered him a warm smile. "You just don't look the big-bad-hairy-biker type, anyway."

"No. . . He's my Dog Prince in the soft red haori. . ." Kagome quickly pounced onto the hanyou that was occupying her bed, nipping at his neck and causing him to blush deeply with an apologetic look at Selene.

"I'm gone. . . " She rose to give them some privacy, but stopped short on her way out. "Oh one more thing. . . 'Gome, tell him what happened with Taki that day. . . I think he'll find it. . . interesting."

"Uh. . . ok," came a muffled response, before Kagome brought her head up and pulled a narrow braid out her mouth. "mmm puppy hair. . ." which made the hanyou laugh heartily, as she dove to his neck again.

Maybe Ouna was partially right, Kagome wasn't delusional but she certainly seemed delirious. But being so deliriously happy could hardly qualify as detrimental.

Now to give the monk a piece of her mind.

She found him sitting on the steps which led down from the back door, a large tumbler full of coffee sitting next to him.

"You know. . ." she dropped to sit down next to him, "You should probably switch to decaf. . . _you_, my beloved. . . are wound entirely too _tight_." She picked up the tumbler, and finding it lukewarm, took a drink.

"Hey, that's mine damnit. . ." he muttered half heartedly, taking the large plastic cup from her. "Get your own."

"Oh I see how you are, hogging all the good stuff. . ." She mock pouted at the loss. "I like mine black anyway. That's too sweet. How much sugar you put in there, anyway?"

"Sour grapes, sexy girl. . . sour grapes. . . It's got just the right amount," he held up the cup with a flourish. "It tastes perfect." He drank deeply.

"So, you going to tell me what happened? What all. . ." she motioned toward the house, "_that_ was about?"

"He's trying to take her away, and I won't let him. . . it's that simple." He stared off at nothing in particular.

"I'm sure he would bring her back, Mikey," she looped her arm into his, and felt him tense at the action.

"You don't know that," he cast her a sidelong glance.

"This is about more than just letting her go out, isn't it?" She tightened her grip on his arm, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Kagome isn't your little girl. . . she's not your sister, and she certainly isn't your wife. . . so what's your problem?"

"I. . . it's. . ." he stumbled uncharacteristically for words. "I love her, Selene. . . I just can't stand the thought of _anyone _taking her away, maybe hurting her. . . or worse, using her for their own gain."

Selene sat in silence for a time, chewing on what he had said.

"Caleb feels the same way, you know." She moved to the step below, and wedged herself to face him between his knees. "She's in love with him, Mikey. I've never seen her so happy, and all you can do is try to spoil it. That trick with Ouna was really underhanded."

He averted her eyes, looking past her shoulder.

"Yeah, I know," the barest hint of regret showed in the narrowing of his eyes. "I kind of went a little overboard, I guess. But. . . she was going to tell him, all she was waiting for was Ouna's blessing, and I . . . I couldn't let that happen."

"Why not? He _is _who he says he is. . . Who _Kagome_ says he is. . ." She put her hands on his shoulders and dipped her head around to finally meet his eyes.

"Yeah, well. . . I'm not convinced," she could see the lack of conviction behind his words.

"I don't believe you, Monk. . . I think you do believe it, deep down where it counts. . . but you are fighting it for some reason. . ." she kissed his cheek, then rose from her knees. "He's our best hope against Kouga. You know that's what Kouga is after, and the only way Caleb is going to be able to truly protect her from him. . . is if he knows all of it."

"I'll protect her, _we_ can protect her." He grabbed for her hand, but she pulled away, standing over him.

"Right. . . you and your wannabe ninja moves and little scraps of rice paper. . . I _know for a fact _that I am no match against a full blown youkai," she shook her head sadly. "Ouna's got it all wrong, it's not Kagome who's delusional. . . it's _you_." She frowned down at him. "I don't know what you did with my Michael, but I really miss him and. . ." her eyes filled with tears, and her voice caught roughly, "Damnit. . . I really want him back."

Selene could hear the sound of the Ducati racing down the street as she ran back into the house to lock herself in her room. She hoped they had thought to put the screen back on the window.

_ooO0Ooo_

A/N : Thank you reviewers! You keep me going. Not sure how soon till the next chapter is going to be up, it's been a real life hustle lately, but I do have the next 3 chapters blocked, just need to get them refined for posting. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

_Reviewers_

_adamile D-chan3 Ciara Moo Straberry InuYasha'sLover x-miya-x mdjw-muse911 _

_ADSV(Don't you ever stop doin' that thing that you do, darlin'!) _

_Kagome Lover 11771177 _

_Long Lost Dream37 _

_Sammy-Sama(You got it right, Sally is Selene's nickname)_

_Until Next Time!_

_metsuki_


	38. Chapter Thirty Seven

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

WARNING: Entirely too much fluff, read at your own risk

Finding Kagome

Chapter Thirty Seven

They sat in blissful silence on the wooden bench, clean ocean air and the hum of the rest of the world seemed to whirl past them on fast forward. The only thing that mattered to either of them was the person they were with.

They had purchased waffle cones, two scoops each. Vanilla for him, and Cherry Cheesecake for her. Not accustomed to the frozen treat, InuYasha took tentative bites at it. Watching with intense interest as Kagome licked around the base of her confection, he found himself squirming uncharacteristically. Just something about that tongue action took his mind to places it didn't need to be at the moment. Soon though, he mimicked her approach and found that much preferable to using his teeth. Of course it would be. The thought brought a wistful smile to his lips.

Their get away had been quite simple, once Sally had explained to him how easily the window opened. At first he hadn't realized that was her way of telling him that it was ok for them to leave, in spite of Michaels heated protests.

The hardest part had been to get Kagome to stop her teasing attentions to his neck long enough to actually _go_. Not that he had wanted her to stop. . . no, not really.

They met at the bike in the garage, and Kagome had watched with fascination at the speed in which he changed his headgear. Not caring for the restriction of the helmet, he had opted to always keep his hat tucked into his jacket and would switch back to it when not riding. There had been nothing but time to practice the technique while he had impatiently awaited their return the night before. Flattening his ears on his head as he traded off, hat to helmet and then back again, it soon had become a smooth fluid action. His hat, after being stuffed into his jacket a few times, was taking on a softer more worn feel, which suited him much better than the stiffness it had when it was new.

A short stop at the motorcycle dealership and Kagome had a matching helmet of her own, and a new leather jacket designed specifically for their mode of transportation. It looked nice on her, though she had balked at first, having seen the price tag. He made it clear to her that having the proper protective gear came with riding with him, and if she wanted to go riding, then she would have to accept the jacket and helmet.

He wondered if it would always be so difficult to buy her things. In the future he would need to find a way to hide the price in advance, to avoid a repeat of the argument.

They had then detoured to the place she called "The Mall", where she said she needed to pick up a few things, mostly some changes of clothing for her work. The bastards had torn everything up that she had left at home, and jeans were not suitable for the classroom.

They had toured the place at their leisure, and though it was enclosed it hadn't been too oppressive to him thanks to the skylights and multilevel ceilings. He thought it a little odd that everywhere they went there seemed to be the same low level music playing. These modern people seemed to be obsessed with having background music to everything they did.

While strolling through the mall, she had made good on her promise to tell him about Taki, her mother's gardener, and how he had been injured by falling one afternoon during her visit. She explained that she knew only from a dream that she once had a gift of healing and when he had been injured, she had felt _compelled_ to try using her power to mend the injury. It had worked, healing more than just the twisted knee, apparently. She said it was as if twenty years had been erased from the man. It was obvious that she was as awed by it as everyone else.

InuYasha recalled how in the later years, Kagome had often pulled out her first aid kit, only to put it away again because her power had increased enough to mend most minor injuries. He couldn't help a wistful smile at their arguments over his 'scratches'. Even some not so minor wounds had closed at her touch, her holy power had been even stronger after the Jewel had been completed. She, however had been powerless to help herself in the end. She had once said the power was for giving and protecting. . . not receiving. That to heal herself would be a selfish act.

Somehow that had just seemed wrong to him. But she would hear none of his arguments in those days. Not when it came to matters regarding her innate abilities. He had finally resigned himself to this fact, when she pointed out that he himself just 'knew' about his own innate abilities.

He couldn't help but wonder what the union of all those gifts would create. What wonders would their pups have been able to perform. . .

They had run into a old college friend of Kagome's, and InuYasha was still not so sure he liked being introduced as her 'new boyfriend'. It just didn't sound _serious _enough. The friend was pushing a small cart that held a squalling brat and Kagome made over the pup like she was a long lost relative or something. He watched her pick the little boy up, and coo into his ear before her hands began to glow lightly. He had quieted right down, sucking his thumb around a smile with tears still clinging to his long eyelashes. It had reminded him of how good she had always been with Shippou when he was little.

The friend was elated that the child liked Kagome so much, explaining that he was usually very nervous around strangers. All the while Kagome bounced him lightly in her arms and looked the perfect picture of a doting mother. All InuYasha could do was smile and shake his head. Some things just don't change.

Passing by a pet shop on the main floor, Kagome had gasped and grabbed his hand to drag him in to see some puppies in a glass walled display in the center of the store. She had picked up a white one, and cuddled it like it were her own. The sign said the puppies were 'Samoyed', an arctic breed.

"_Aw look. . ." she whispered, pushing up closely against him. "His ears are just like yours. . ." _

"_I promise you, that pup and I are not related," he responded, unable to resist rubbing behind it's ears._

"_Hm. . . are you sure? Let me see," and she held it up with a mock seriousness that made him snort, then brought it back to nuzzle it's neck. "His neck is fuzzier," she smirked. "Mmm puppy hair," she rubbed her nose against it's fur, with a look of complete bliss._

"_Should I get jealous?" He asked at her coquettish glance up at him from the puppy's neck. She then sighed, and gently placed it back into the case, standing back to admire it with a wistful expression. "So Kagome . . . What would you call him? I mean his name . . . if he was yours?"_

_She hesitated for only a half a second before she answered with a smirk, "Why . . . Junior, of course!" She then ducked any possible retaliation, and quickly made tracks out of the store with him on her heels. Catching her easily by the waist, he tested a once known 'tickle spot' and found great satisfaction when she proceeded to laugh hysterically, begging him to stop._

Her next destination had been a shop that specialized in women's wear, primarily undergarments by the look of the pictures plastered all over the walls. Too many half dressed females gazing down at him had left him feeling very uncomfortable, and he made the excuse that he had to (as Sesshoumaru would say) relieve himself, with the understanding that he would return shortly

He then secretly returned to the pet shop and made arrangements for 'Junior' to be delivered to the compound, along with all the necessary items for his care. This had taken no small amount of time, he had never dreamed a little puppy had so many needs. His stomach had begun to growl, and as he was concluding the transaction, he impulsively grabbed a bag of treats from a stand on the counter, adding them to the total. He said he'd keep that item, then returned to the bench outside the shop he had left Kagome in.

As he went to make the call to warn Sesshoumaru about the impending arrival of 'Junior' he had panicked when he realized he did not have his 'leash' with him. But there had been nothing to be done for it, he would just have to remember to make the call later. Shrugging he ripped open the bag and began eating while he waited.

Kagome had found him while he was still enjoying his little snack.

"_Remind me not to kiss you anymore . . ." she made a face as her eyes darted between the bag and his busy jaw._

"_What's wrong? These are good, try one," he rose still chewing, to offer her a morsel. She dodged the hand as he tried to slip it into her mouth._

"_ICK! Those are made out of horse meat!" She stuck her tongue out in disgust._

"_Are not! Look. . . it says 'Beef' on the package." He showed her the label._

"_Artificially BEEF flavored. . . soy product? Veggie snacks for DOGS?" She smirked, "Nutritious and Satisfying – Eco Friendly Product."_

"_Veggie, huh?" He looked at one for a moment, then sniffed at it. "What the fuck," he shrugged, "it tastes good. . ." and he popped another one into his mouth._

As luck would have it, there had been another shop on the second floor that dealt with all manor of blades. Most of the more decorative items were just that, not high enough quality to actually be worthy of battle. And many were of fanciful designs, looking like they would be all but impossible to actually wield. However, the set of throwing knives he found were remarkably well balanced and the merchant even allowed Kagome to test them on a target they had set up at the rear of the shop.

Unsure about handling a 'real weapon' she was hesitant about trying them, let alone buying them. It had taken a long, hushed discussion for her to see the reasoning behind having crafted weapons as opposed to kitchen tools.

When she finally did try her hand with them, he had been able to give her some pointers on technique. Her improvement with each round had been impressive, to say the least.

But of course his Kagome would be adept at defense.

She agreed that he was right about them and he bought her three sets. He then instructed her to wear at least three hidden under her clothes at all times, within easy reach. As much as he might wish otherwise, he knew he could not be with her every second of every day.

One more stop and she quickly chose two outfits for work. He had been disappointed that she chose skirts, knowing she wouldn't be riding with him dressed like that. She had said they were just to get by, that she would shop in earnest another day. She really wanted to go to this 'wharf' place today, and had suggested a particular 'ice cream shop' there for what was in her opinion, a more acceptable snack.

He had to admit, it was a pretty good idea.

"I don't get it. . ." Kagome ventured between long laps on her ice cream, which for his own peace of mind, he carefully tried to avoid watching. "Why did you wait until now to find me?"

"I had to give you time . . . you know . . . " he stared at his cone which was beginning to get soggy on the pointed bottom.

"You mean to reincarnate . . ." she looked at him thoughtfully. "Well . . . it was good timing. How did you know?"

"I could feel you," he answered in a matter of fact tone, pressing his fist into his solar plexus for emphasis. "The rosary told me when you were near," he fingered the rosary, "but I just . . . _knew_ you were on this side of the ocean."

"You were in Japan?" her eyes widened as she reached and lightly touched the beads she had played with when they were in the tree.

"Hai." He watched her reaction while he absently bit the soggy end off of his cone, and discovered a little fountain of melted ice cream that wouldn't stop. "Kuso . . ." he muttered as he held the thing up and tried to continue catching the ceaseless drip into his mouth, growling low in frustration.

Kagome's ensuing giggles at first annoyed him, but when he saw the brightness in her eyes he didn't mind so much after all.

"So when did you become Caleb?" She carefully held her own cone away from from her to avoid spoiling her clothes. He watched her make quick work of finishing it, and licking her fingers.

"The night I followed you home. Sessh. . ." he stuttered, preoccupied with the show she was providing, "Eh . . . Seth gave me my I.D. earlier that night, before we went to the opera."

"Opera, huh?" She reached over and ran her thumb over a spot on the corner of his lips which he had neglected to lick clean. "You don't really strike me as the 'opera' type." Her grin was whimsically lopsided at the thought.

"Feh . . . I slept through the damn thing," he blushed, his own grin matching hers.

"I think you could sleep through a nuclear blast . . . at least you don't snore . . . _too loud_," at his incredulous look she hid a smirk behind the back of her hand.

"I don't snore. . . _at all_," he corrected her, brows lifting into his bangs. Giving up on the sodden mess in his hand, he rose and tossed it over the edge of the pier. Licking his fingers, he watched a pair of gulls dive after it.

"How long have you been here? I mean, _here_ . . ."

"A little over a week," he dropped to his haunches in front of her. "We flew in the night before the almost . . . accident." He realized that he hadn't actually talked with her about that day, only Sally and Michael knew. "We were in that limo. Me and my brother . . . I was so worried about you. . ." He reached for her hand.

Kagome appeared lost in thought as she scanned the boats in the bay.

"I had a dream about you . . . that same night," she faltered, an unidentifiable expression shadowing her features, her arms crossed around her middle.

"Nani, Koi?" He rose and sat next to her again, bringing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. When she didn't respond immediately, he followed her gaze out toward the boats in the bay. "You weren't serious about never kissing me again . . . were you?"

At that she snorted. "I'm thinking about it." Seeing her lopsided grin, he knew she was teasing him.

"Keh. . . Let me help you make up your mind . . ." he brought his hand up behind her neck and pulled her to touch noses and foreheads for a moment, then gently caressed her cheek with his thumb. Nuzzling into her neck, he breathed deeply of her scent. She sighed, relaxing into his ministrations.

Pulling back, he offered her his best 'hopeful puppy' expression. She had a high blush on her cheeks and was quaking with her unreleased giggles at his antics. He noticed a small crystalline drop of dried ice cream on her chin, and not thinking he casually lapped at it as though it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

Kagome's mouth dropped to his so quickly it took his breath away, and for a moment he thought his heart would beat right out of his chest as she dragged her searing tongue against his, before their lips joined fully in an all consuming kiss. Her hands cupped his cheeks, then tangled into his braids and he enfolded her with his arms, fingers splayed against her back and her hair, the world around them completely forgotten.

It was undeniable. He could feel it more strongly than ever before, that warm rolling dance of their very essences wrapping around one another, mingling, becoming one. Of all the places they had traveled, in all the years they had wandered, seeking . . . of all the times they had shared, and all the time they had spent apart, they were _both now _ . . . finally home.

_oOo_

"Christ! I hate this human interest shit!" The young field reporter yanked her bag out of the seat of the station van and dropped it to the street as she fumbled in the glove box in search of something.

"You asked for it, R.T. . ." admonished her camera man as he carefully assembled his equipment through the side door. "It's what you get for that '_this reporter is keeping her doors locked'_ line," his mocking tenor was accompanied with a bobbing of his shaggy blond head, earning him an explosive glare from the petite woman.

"It was the truth, damnit! I didn't cause the problem, it's not my fault business is a little off!" she shook her head, her hair whipping back and forth, "where the hell are they?" She muttered to herself, then dropped to a crouch and started digging into the voluminous bag on the pavement.

"Yeah, but it all comes back around . . . You say something _stupid_ and local business _drops_ and guess who's advertising pads _your_ sweet little paycheck?" He held up a micro lens for his steady cam and examined it against the light, before running a polishing cloth over it.

"Enough already . . . it wasn't stupid, damnit . . . hey, you seen my contacts case?" She stood with her hand on her hip, her eyes darting to all the places she had already searched.

"I swear, you'd lose you ass . . . if it wasn't an implant," he deadpanned.

She paused a moment to eye his entirely too casual stance.

"You're in the wrong business, Tard . . . you should be a goddamn comedian," she reached over and roughly patted his broad shoulder. "At least _I _have contributed to the city _beautification project_, how about you? You get that ear job, yet?" She grinned wickedly as she reached up for his hair to have him yank his head away.

"Hey! No handling the merchandise! OK . . . so, you called me 'Tard' . . . Does that mean I get to call you 'Bitch'?" He asked hopefully as he pulled the strap of his nylon equipment case over his shoulder then tapped a button whispering the door closed. Her lack of response indicated to him that he had made his point about abusing his name. At least for the moment.

Taking in a deep breath of the fresh ocean air, he raised his camera to scan the area. He had to admit, it was a great day to be outside. Even if the 'bitch' didn't appreciate it.

"Well, crap . . . I guess I'll have to work without them. You're my eyes, _Ted. _You know how damned nearsighted I am." She picked up her microphone and lowered the van door. Her wide heels rapidly clopping against the sidewalk let him know she was on the move. "We need at least three, but best go for five. . . locals, ok?"

She hadn't raised her voice as she walked away, but he heard her just fine. He always did, and he was grateful that she had never questioned why. She had no clue those 'malformed' ears of his were as acutely sensitive as they were.

Trotting agilely to catch up, he then had to cut his normally long strides to keep pace with her. It was well rehearsed, one of his steps to two of hers, they had been working together like this for over a year.

Raising the palm sized camera to his eye, he scanned the area, recording as he did. There weren't that many people out. Usually the area was a big pull for tourists and locals alike on the weekends, and the sparseness of the crowd truly was disheartening.

He didn't think that Ricky was solely responsible, not really. Sure, she hadn't helped with her 'gloom and doom' approach to reporting the recent crime wave. But, she had taken enough flak for that from the brass. He considered how he should stop picking at her about it, though in truth, that only lasted for about three seconds and in the end he just grinned.

She was just too damn much fun to pick on.

He framed an attractive looking family strolling past the shops, and zoomed in smoothly.

"10 o'clock, R.T. . ." he informed the reporter, "mom, pop. . . couple of kiddos, one's on the old man's shoulders, pretty cute."

She glanced in the indicated direction, squinting to focus.

"Nix. . . Tourists . . . Mickey ears on the girl, see?" she negated, then pointed. "Find me _locals._"

He marked the 'footage' anyway with a press of his thumb on the side of the cam, it would make a nice bit for stock, if nothing else. A sudden familiar sense pulled at him, and accustomed to viewing the world through his lens, he swung his scan off toward the bay. On a bench near the rail there was a couple entirely too engrossed in each other. At first it brought a smirk, until he realized that one of them was a creature not unlike himself.

Zooming in as the formidable lip lock broke, he focused closely on the face of the man. He had seen it before in a clip from the opera opening two nights before. So . . . this was Inudono's brother. The reporter had suggested that he was the talk of the town, the most eligible bachelor, etc, etc. _ad nauseum_. He hadn't realized that this new 'celebrity' wasn't exactly . . . human.

He had heard that the elder Inudono was a bit . . . strange. Reclusive. Usually handling his philanthropic works through third parties and such. It hadn't crossed his mind that the reason might be because the guy might actually _have something to hide_.

Ted understood that only too well. His choice to live and work in the city had been a source of contention with his parents, who feared for his well being as well as their own. His mother had gone into a complete panic when he made the announcement that he wanted to attend Brooks Institute, and his father had tried use logic and reasoning to change his mind. But he found their mountain seclusion too limiting while growing up, often venturing secretly into the small town near their Mt. Hood sanctuary, to mix with the teenagers there. He found humans fascinating, and discovered that his love for capturing them on various photographic media was considered inspired within both communities.

To come into contact with one of his kind in the city was unusual at best, but his guy was different somehow. It was almost like he was mixed, a halfbreed . . . which was unheard of among his people. It wasn't even known if it was genetically possible. And here the guy was a celebrity no less. With a human girl on his arm? There was something odd about her as well, something which he couldn't quite put a finger on, but it set him on edge nonetheless.

"You with me?" his partner had stopped. "Hey, Tard!"

"Get a load of that . . ." still recording, he motioned for her with his free hand, ignoring the barb. "He works fast, you think? Wonder who the girl is . . ." as the couple moved to leave he kept them in the frame.

"Who are you talking about?" Joining him she followed his point of focus, but it was too far for her to make them out.

"Its the younger Inudono, and it appears he has some girl on a leash," he muttered as he smoothly panned and zoomed out to frame the couple as they walked toward the street hand in hand.

"Oh really, now . . . follow them!" She demanded. If he hadn't been so busy doing just that he would have shaken his head. "It'll make a nice little tidbit for the About Town segment . . . Yolanda loves shit like this. Wonder if he'll do an interview . . ." her face distorted slightly as she squinted at them then started walking swiftly toward the couple.

Ted lowered his cam for a moment, eying the pair. There was definitely something about that girl . . . through the lens she was just another girl, but catching her eye briefly as they passed he felt it. An energy that was foreign to him, and oddly compelling. Curiosity, and its extraordinary zoom capabilities, lured the camera back to his eye.

Trotting toward his partner, he resumed recording at a distance as she approached the two of them. They were apparently preparing to mount an imported motorcycle. As the guy handed off a rather large yellow backpack to the girl, the reporter called to him.

"Caleb Inudono?" He didn't respond immediately, fiddling with his helmet. The girl touched his shoulder and nodded warily to the rapidly approaching woman with the over sized microphone in her hand.

Ted zoomed in to frame the group. R.T. was still squinting, and he strafed to the side to get a back shot of her, knowing she would try to decapitate him if she was left looking bad on the clip. _At least she's proud of her behind_.

The man's expression was open, almost pleasant until he spied the approaching reporter. Ted noted a momentary hint of panic cross his features before he scowled.

"What the fuck do _you_ want?" he asked tersely.

"Puppy. . ." the now helmeted girl put a hand on his shoulder, and when he glanced back at her she shook her head with a frown. She raised the visor, and he could see her inspecting the reporter. Inudono thinned his lips, and looked to R.T. for a response.

"KGO news, just doing a little 'Sunday Night About Town' feature, you have a minute?" Ted knew Ricky had flashed him her patented winning smile, but it didn't look like he was buying it.

"I ain't got nothin' to say," he waved a hand, then glancing over at the camera still some thirty feet away, he uttered what was apparently a curse in some foreign language.

"Are you ok?" the girl asked, moving closer to the reporter. Ted glided easily around and saw that Ricky was blinking rapidly, obviously fighting with her visual handicap.

"I'm great! It's a lovely day for a ride, isn't it?" the reporter covered, holding the microphone toward the girl. She moved past it and reached out to toward Ricky.

For a moment it felt like the world held it's breath.

"What are you doing, Kagome?" demanded her partner, who then growled at the reporter, "No interviews, damnit!"

While continuing to scan the action, Ted's mind went into over drive. The girl's hand started to glow slightly as she raised it and gently touched Ricky's cheek. There was a strange, subsonic vibration in the air that sent waves through his midsection and he zoomed in a little closer, fully capturing the event. There was a gasp from the reporter who then stepped back with a strangely awed expression.

"I hope you feel better," the girl offered with a genuinely sweet smile, which with the helmet was the only thing that could be clearly distinguished. "It's a beautiful day, I agree. We have to go now."

"How did you do that? Who are you? What's your name?" came rapid fire questions as Ricky regained her composure.

"Fuck this . . . I said _no interview_, damnit!" Inudono wrenched the microphone out of her hand and crushed it, watching as the pieces dropped to the sidewalk. "Let's go, Koi."

The reporter gasped, then stepped back to worriedly examine her demolished equipment.

The girl then looked directly at the camera, her mouth in a small 'o'. She apparently hadn't fully realized that they were being recorded at the time. Ted lowered the palm cam, and raised a brow.

"I think I just screwed up. . ." she muttered, not dropping her scrutiny of him. She shook her head rapidly, then pointed, shouting. "You won't show that, right?"

He raised his hands, still palming the cam. He could feel her, and he could feel her displeasure. It was the strangest sensation. He slowly shook his head.

"Good!" She smiled sweetly at him, then followed her partner who had already mounted and started the motorcycle. She whispered something to him, indiscernible over the sound of the engine, and Ted stepped back and raised the camera again, capturing the guy as he switched to his helmet and stuffed his hat into his jacket. They pulled off and raced down the street, as Ricky started to pick up the pieces of her microphone with an expression of disbelief.

"Did you _see_ that? He crumpled it like it was a candy wrapper!" She blinked at him as he approached her. "And I _can see you_ . . . clearly!That girl . . . who the hell was she?"

"I've got no clue, R.T." he knelt beside her. "But I sure as hell am going to find out."

"How much of that did you get?" she asked, standing.

"Pretty much all of it, we need to get this to editing pronto . . ." he patted his case which contained the actual recording unit. "I want a closer look at this footage. . . and you need another mike before we can finish this assignment."

"Kagome. He called her Kagome." She dumped the pieces of twisted metal that had been her microphone into his bag. "I suppose we can send his brother the bill for this, huh?"

"Sure, R.T., but right now we've got a deadline . . ." he reminded her, and at her nod they both trotted back to the van.

_ooO0Ooo_

"Selene. . ." His knock on her door was almost imperceptible it was so light. He didn't want to wake her if she was sleeping, but he rather doubted that she was. He could hear her television on with the volume low.

What she had said had cut him to the quick. It had been devastating. Her description of his abilities, or lack thereof, sounded so profoundly pathetic. And then the suggestion that he was delusional. . . had hurt him more than that stupid sword could have, had Inudono used it.

The look on her face had told all. She felt as though he had abandoned her somehow, but. . . he hadn't. . . had he? She hadn't seen the 'experiment' at the retreat, she didn't know how effective his newly discovered 'talent' could be.

Her blind faith in Inudono was vexing. Even if he did prove to be InuYasha, there was no guarantee that his intentions were as pure as the girls assumed they were. Regardless of what he had said. Words. . . nothing but words.

"Selene. . . please. . ." he tried the knob and found the door locked. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want. . ." the sound of her tear filled voice clenched his heart. "I need. . ."

"Sally. . . baby, unlock the door. . ." he pleaded. At the whisper of the lock being turned he quickly pushed the door open to find her facing away arms crossed around her middle with her head down. Wrapping his arms over hers from behind her, he held her tightly breathing into her ear, "I haven't left you, I'm right here. . ."

She stiffened in his arms, then twisted her neck back toward him. There was a hint of accusation on tear stained face. "You love her, more than you love me. . . that's the point of all this, isn't it?"

"What?" he shook his head not believing what he had just heard.

"You are in love with Kagome, you always have been. . . I was just. . . too stupid to see it. . ." her head dropped as her emotions obviously warred between hurt and anger, she pulled away from him. "That's why you can't stand Caleb. . . He's taking her away from _you_."

"No. . . I. . . that's. . ." Michael's brow furrowed as he fought to give her a coherent response. "Ridiculous! That's what it is, how did you come up with this brilliant conclusion?"

"Christ, Michael! It's only obvious!" Selene spat, pulling from him to sit on the edge of her bed. "Why else would you act like you do around Caleb? Kagome is my best friend. . . The best friend I have _ever had_, Damnit!" Her face contorted with the confusion in her mind. She took a deep breath, and he cautiously lowered himself beside her.

"She's my best friend too, you know . . ." he was careful to not make any physical contact, he knew she would flinch away. "I worry about her, I want the best for her . . . I want to take care of her, keep her safe . . ."

"In other words, you are _in love with her_." She stated flatly. "And you are jealous of Caleb's . . . no . . . no damnit . . . no more pretense here . . . You are jealous of _InuYasha's_ invasion on _your territory._" She took another deep shuddering breath. "You have always been obsessive about her, Mikey . . . I've tried to look the other way, I really have . . . But I can't anymore." She wasn't meeting his eyes as she shook her head, and it was obvious she was fighting for emotional control.

He sat watching her, his heart aching at the torment she was going through.

He searched his mind for what he had done to cause her this much pain.

Yes, he had been obsessive about Kagome, at least for the last week. The reasons for that were pretty damn obvious.

His mind drifted to when he first met her, and how refreshingly open, sweet and innocent she was, in contrast to the arrogantly pampered selfishness that was so common among university attendees. He had been irretrievably drawn to her, sensing a kinship from the very start.

But, _in love_ with her?

Something about that would just be . . . wrong. He wasn't exactly certain why it would be, but he had known from very early on in their friendship that she could never be _his_.

"You are wrong. There is only one woman with whom I intend to spend the rest of my life, and that woman is you, Selene Rodriguez. I will always care deeply about Kagome, I won't lie about that, but she isn't my soul mate." He reached for her hand. "I think you two have the advantage, you both seem to have a better connection to what _was_ than I do," he put an arm around her, pressing his cheek against her shoulder.

"You know enough, you talk about it enough. . ." she whispered.

"Most of it is what I have been told, honey. . . The stuff with the kanji is a fluke, really. I don't know why I know what I know . . . or even what it is I do that makes it work." He opened his right palm, "Everyone talks about my hand, I don't 'remember' anything about my hand, the kazzam thing or whatever . . . but, I remember you. I remember how strong you were, and proud. . . I remember how in love with you I was, how badly I wished we could just settle down and have a family . . . and you know something? All that is _nothing . . . _compared to how I feel about you _right now_."

"Then why do I feel," her words no more than a whisper, "like I have to remind you that I am around half the time?"

"I don't know, baby . . . but I will tell you this . . ." he pulled her into his arms, "I do know it. And I know it only too painfully well when you aren't . . . Those days at Ouna's were torture, I missed you so much."

"I hated it that you were gone . . ." she finally allowed his arms around her, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"What can I do to make this right?" He asked her.

She was silent for a few moments before she took a deep breath and backed away to look into his eyes. He saw that a light of determination had replaced the hollowness of defeat that had been there when he first came into the room.

"Let InuYasha be Kagome's hero. . ." her gaze intensified. "That's all either of them wants. Instead, be _my_ hero. . . God knows I need one too, right now."

"That is something," he kissed her softly, "I think I can do."

"Call Ouna, Mikey. Tell her the truth." She pressed her cheek against his. It sounded more like a request, but he knew in his heart it was the right thing to do.

"I will, right after I get back from the grocer. . . My dear Selene, may I borrow your car?"

"What are going to do, hit the deli?" she sniffed, and wiped at her eyes with her hand.

"Nope. It's Sunday and that means a 'sit down supper', and I already have the menu planned." He grinned sheepishly.

"Your going to cook? You'll burn my kitchen down!" she gasped.

"Oh ye of little faith. . ." he raised his chin boldly as he held out his hand, "Keys. . . please?"

_ooO0Ooo_


	39. Chapter Thirty Eight

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, they are the brain children of Rumiko Takahashi. I do, however, own an overactive imagination. . .

Special thanks to SacredShaz, who is my inspiration and sometimes (when she has the time) Beta. Without her support, this story would not have happened.

I love you forever Shaz, in all your incarnations.

Finding Kagome

Chapter 38

Ricky squinted at the battery of monitors on the wall, and slipped on a pair of designer framed glasses. They did no good. In reality they only made it worse. It was like trying to focus while underwater. Whatever that girl had done, she didn't need them anymore. The problem with the monitors was not due to her eyesight.

"What the hell happened?" she demanded pulling off the spectacles and moving in closer behind Ted . He frantically keyed in adjustments to the data he was attempting to view on the editing room monitors.

"Dunno," he muttered, casting a baffled glance back to her as they were joined by a pair of interns. He keyed in yet another command to the editing console, and there was a fluctuation on the screens. At least now the chronometer had begun to work, flashing a rolling sequence of numbers at the bottom. "It's like I have to compensate for electro-magnetic interference of some kind. This isn't any regular RF problem. I didn't see any security drones, anyway. The data is here, I know it . . . see?" He pointed at shifting frames on the screen. Not a significant enough improvement for use, however a ghosting of images could be discerned among the digitized scramble.

"Here, let me try something," suggested one of the interns, a young looking girl with twin braids falling over her shoulders. Ricky mused that she barely looked like she was out of high school, and didn't hold much faith that she could remedy their dilemma. The girl moved around the console, and as she tinkered with something in the back, the screens fluctuated again several times.

"Bert, be careful back there . . ." warned her counterpart, a male with a military style buzz cut who didn't look much older. "If the old man catches you, we're both in deep shit. . ."

"I read about this last week . . ." came her alternately echoed and muffled response, "this particular system has a fail safe for that sort of thing, but you have to rig it up It's not automatic . . . Just a sec . . ." Ricky raised a brow at Ted, who shrugged in response.

"Oh hell! You're right! A counter for potential E.M. attacks . . . but that's only for military operations, Bert," he wiggled down behind her, watching as she deftly rearranged cables.

"A clause in the Congressional approval for the contract was to include the capability in civilian broadcasting equipment . . ." she backed up to examine her work, "just in case the military has need to commandeer it."

"Lovely thought," Ricky muttered under her breath.

"That should do it, Teddy. You need to reboot the system for it to fully integrate." The girl stood up and brushed her jeans.

"Teddy?" Ricky peered at her camera man, who was blushing uncharacteristically.

"It's better than 'Tard'," he grumbled as he keyed in the reboot sequence.

"You really think this is going to work?" Folding her arms, Ricky leaned back and watched the screen run through lines of boot data.

"Actually, it should. . ." The voice behind them drew everyone's attention to a mature man who was leaning on one arm against the doorway. "That is _IF_ it was E.M. interference."

"Shit," the boy swallowed hard at their being discovered by the Senior Editor.

"Relax Ernest, you're not in trouble. Roberta, in the future I would appreciate being informed _prior to _any modifications to the equipment. Understood?" Head tilted down, his look of reprimand brought a blush to the girls freckled cheeks.

"Yes Sir. But in my defense, Mr. Dawson, I did kind of . . . um . . . save the day . . . didn't I?" She asked hopefully.

"That remains to be seen, young lady." Dawson raised a brow, then moved into the cramped room. "You two get back out in the field. . ." He placed a hand on Ted's shoulder, then replaced him on the stool he had been occupying. "I'll see what I can do with this . . . any law enforcement drones or military craft around at the time?"

"No! That's what's so weird about it . . . nothing . . . hell, it was practically dead out there. . ." Ted rubbed at his temple and noted Ricky tossing her expensive pair of designer glasses into a small trash can by the door.

"Don't remind me," she grumbled. "C'mon _Teddy_, let the geeks fix it." She glanced around at the odd assortment of people who had wandered into the already tight room, and tugged on the sleeve of his shirt.

"You'll wanna be careful what you use from that," he warned, "that is if you get anything at all . . . He broke a field microphone, but he did state in no uncertain terms that he refused the interview before he did it."

"Ted . . . dammit!" Ricky hissed furiously.

"Hell no . . . he told you 'no' and all you did is switch to the girl!" he accused. He glared down at her expression which reflected his own. "And she was none to pleased about being recorded, once she realized I had a camera."

Ricky stiffened. She had received a gift from that girl, and knew she should probably be grateful and leave it at that. And by the disapproval in Ted's expression, that was how he was seeing things as well. But she smelled a bigger story, one that could very well make her career, and she couldn't let it go. She had to know that Kagome's story. How Inudono fit into it was another mystery, and one thing Ricky could not resist was a good mystery.

"Who are we talking about?" Dawson had swiveled the stool around to watch the pair telepathically joust. Had to be, since they seemed to have stopped talking.

"Caleb Inudono . . . he was out with his girlfriend on the pier and Ricky pushed him," Ted's condemning eyes never left her.

"Oh, no . . . He has a girlfriend?" Roberta's disappointment was evident, and when all those present turned to look at her she blushed again.

"So . . . neither of them consented to the interview, I take it." Dawson eyed the reporter, and scratched the side of his chin. Ted shook his head. "Last thing we need is a law suit."

"There _was_ no interview, Daws . . . Just a lot of swearing out of Caleb and a broken mike. The girl tried to be nice about it, but in the end she asked me not to 'show it'." Ted reached for his bag, and tapped the back of his hand on Ricky's upper arm.

"So . . . before you go," Dawson tapped in the sequence to search through the clip, "Mind telling me why we went to all this trouble? For something we can't use?"

"Oh nice! What kind of bike is that, Ernie?" Piped Roberta, drawing everyone's attention back to the screens. The image had improved remarkably, and Dawson had set the clip to rewind from the end.

"Ducati I think, Bert . . . Holy COW! He crushed that mike with just one hand? Just like a beer can!" smirked the boy.

Running backwards it looked as if the guy had drawn up the pieces into his hand and then handed Ricky a pristine microphone, which was followed shortly by a bright flash of light. The pair walked backwards at high speed some distance to a bench then sat and wrapped one another up into a passionated embrace and the camera pulled out and panned left to a family walking backward up the sidewalk.

"What the . . ." muttered the editor, playing the sequence forward at standard speed. "Where's the damn audio?"

"There's no more than 30 – 40 seconds of audio in the whole clip. If that much. Like I said, a lot of swearing," Ted responded. "There's a couple of things I want to look at more closely later, though. Bert?" He nodded toward the bank of monitors and Roberta understood. It was his signal that he wanted his own copy of the data. She nodded lightly in acknowledgment.

"There's more to that girl than meets the eye," Ricky ventured. "Give Yolanda a clip of them walking together, let her break some hearts. It's pretty obvious he's involved with her. Archive the rest . . . there's a bigger story here, I know it."

"Ok, R.T., it's your gig," Dawson waved at their retreating forms without looking as he deftly maneuvered through the footage, looking for the best frames to offer the About Town anchor. Glancing up, he observed the oddly dreamy look on Roberta's face as she stared at a stilled closeup of Inudono. She sighed.

Ernest turned to see what the boss was looking at and rolled his eyes the girl.

"What the Hell is it that chicks see in that guy?" He asked. Dawson only offered him a shrug and shake of his head in response.

_ooO0Ooo_

Selene sat back on her bed, thumbing through the case files she had surreptitiously 'borrowed', hoping that InuYasha and Kagome would return soon. She had a few questions for him about some of the stranger evidence that had been collected and photographed. Perhaps his intimate knowledge of demon abilities and motivation would help her to solve some of these mysteries.

Not that anyone would ever believe that it was anything other than random acts of human violence. Even she still had moments when she would question the sanity of suspecting anything else.

This had become personal, however. She needed to know. . . to understand. . . for her own reasons. Her concern for Miranda's safety had been growing with each new file. Just how did Kouga fit in to all of this? InuYasha hated him and it seemed as though he blamed Kouga for the whole of it, and more. That would imply that Kouga was the one issuing the orders. Perhaps Kouga had experienced a change of heart, since the activity had so significantly decreased. Then again, maybe he had a more clear target than before . . . now that he knew Kagome.

The thought made her shudder.

Michael had returned some time ago, and she could hear him tinkering off in the kitchen. He had tried to call Ouna, and she had heard him leave a message on her voice mail to return the call as soon as possible. He was at least making an effort to make amends for his maliciousness earlier. She had to give him credit for that much.

It wasn't like him to show interest in cooking though, and the thought still unsettled her. She had thought about overseeing his efforts, just to make certain that her house wasn't inadvertently burned to the ground in the process, but he had shooed her away citing that she made him nervous.

_'Tit for tat, Monk,' _she thought. His little experiment in her kitchen was making her very nervous.

Opening another case file, she noted the sound of Michael going into the bathroom, then coming out and lingering in the hallway. This case was a messier one than most, involving a find of dismembered limbs in an alleyway near the docks. She steeled her nerves for the photos she knew were included, and turned the page. The remains were noted as being from a young female, and the D.N.A. signature was being researched against the list of missing persons that had been reported.

"My dear Selene . . . I am going to get you a cat!" The abrupt announcement came from just beyond her doorway, interrupting her thoughts.

"What? Why would I want a _cat_?" She muttered, examining the rather gruesome scene photos. "I do have _you,_ after all. . ." she raised her brow and glanced at him standing in the doorway, "that's enough 'cattiness' to deal with, don't you think?"

She observed his jaw work for a moment, noting she had scored a coup with the comment.

"Ok . . . I had that coming," he admitted. "However, my love . . . I do not hunt _mice_ as effectively as a true feline would."

"Tell me you didn't just say . . . _mice _. . . as in rodent . . ." He had her full attention now and she watched him nod sagely. The idea was simply too foreign for her to consider seriously. "A mouse would starve to death in this house!"

"Well, apparently not . . ." he seemed to be watching down the hallway which was odd, and she closed the file she had been reading. "Maybe Kagome has a stash of junk food in her room," he looked back at her. "She did have a bunch of ramen in her bag at Ouna's . . ." He nodded toward Kagome's door, "I can hear the thing rattling around in there."

"Oh good grief," she mumbled, rising. "Did you bother to look? Kagome's not the type to squirrel food away . . ."

"The door's locked . . . go listen for yourself," he suggested, backing up as she brushed past him to do just that.

Putting her ear to the door, she could hear an asynchronous tapping just beyond. Trying the knob, she found it was indeed locked, just as he had said.

"Hey, 'Gome! You in there?" She called through the door, rapping loudly with her knuckles.

"The bike is gone, Sally . . . The screen to that window is sitting against the house," Michael sighed with a hint of exasperation. "They're not _in there._"

"So what the hell is making that sound?" She demanded.

"I already told you! A mouse!" He insisted, shrugging with his hands out for emphasis.

"No way. . ." she glared at him, fists on her hips. There couldn't be a mouse in _her_house.

Shaking her head in denial, she darted to the kitchen to search the junk drawer for the emergency key. It was more like an Allen wrench and never having used the thing before, it took several minutes of her dragging her fingers through useless odds and ends before finally finding it.

Rejoining him at the door, she held the key up in triumph.

"What ever you do, don't let it out of there," Michael warned her. "We'll catch it and let it go outside."

"I'll buy a damn trap, to hell with catching it!" She growled. He was really starting to sound like a Buddhist.

"Poor little, defenseless mouse . . ." he mumbled with a smirk, which drew a warning glare up from her as she worked the lock.

Opening the door just a crack, Selene chanced a quick scan around the room for any signs of movement. The tapping had stopped, and it was difficult to discern exactly where it had been coming from. Slipping into the room, she was immediately followed by Michael, who then shut the door behind them to prevent escape of the culprit.

All was quiet in the sparsely furnished room, and Selene immediately went to the nearly empty closet and pulled the doors open, carefully checking the dark corners.

Michael gingerly pulled at the edges of the bedspread and on not seeing any movement he lowered himself to look under the bed. The lack of available light brought him to push himself deeper under to check the dark shadows of the corners.

"Nothing here . . . I know that it wasn't my imagination," she muttered as she closed the closet doors and proceeded to check the floorboards for possible sites of entry.

"No, we both heard it," his voice muffled from under the bed. "It's in here . . . somewhere . . ."

"Any of your little scraps of rice paper ward off unwanted pests?" Selene asked, only half joking as she started opening dresser drawers to check inside.

"Hell no . . . or I would have used one of them on Inudono . . ." he grumbled, edging his way out from under the bed. He swallowed, and hesitated a moment from pulling himself completely out, uncertain as to what awaited him in her response to his offhanded comment.

"What's this? I've never seen these before," Selene fingered the scarlet fabric she found folded in the drawer. "This isn't Kagome's . . ."

Sighing in relief, Michael drew further out.

"If it's red, it's Caleb's pajamas," he offered, just as the tapping began again, accompanied by a low vibration right above him. Startled, he jumped and slammed the back of his head against the bed frame. "OW!"

"Serves you right," she deadpanned as she closed the drawer then stepped over his legs to investigate. "Here's your 'mouse', Monk . . ." She held down a palm sized electronic device which she had discovered vibrating on the bed stand.

"What the hell is that thing?" He demanded, sitting on the floor at her feet, rubbing the back of his head with a scowl.

"Not sure, kinda looks like a phone," she pressed a rather large button on the front and the vibration stopped. "No . . . a palm pilot maybe? It's different though . . ."

"Oh, yeah. Kagome was looking at it last night and he grabbed it back from her," he commented, watching her turn the thing around in her hand.

Flipping a hinged back panel, she discovered a miniature keypad and screen, which immediately on being fully opened, flickered to life. Projected on the screen was a live video feed of none other than Seth Inudono in all his arrogant splendor.

Selene swallowed audibly, then dropped onto the bed and forced a smile, unsure if it was a two way connection or not. She considered closing the thing and putting it back. Just pretend it never happened.

She watched him as he slowly blinked, his eyes rolling slightly up under his lids as he did so. She glanced around the unit, wondering where the speakers and microphone were hidden. . . or a camera for that matter.

"Officer . . ." She heard him say, so there were speakers somewhere, "You are in possession of my brother's phone . . ."

"mmhmm," she hummed in nervous response, finding herself slightly tongue tied and still trying to figure the thing out.

"And, may I ask . . . just where is my brother?" Even though those eyes were on a tiny screen, she could feel them piercing through her.

"Oh hell," Michael moaned. "Gods, Sally . . . Don't piss him off," he hissed from the floor as he rose to his knees beside her.

"Too late for that . . ." The eyes flashed on hearing the comment. "Where is he?"

"Uh . . ." Selene answered stupidly then glanced at the window and back at the screen. "He went out . . . With Kagome!" She offered him another smile and a brisk nod, to see him do another eye rolled blink in response. It was pretty obvious to her he was not pleased.

"Do you have an estimated time of return for them . . . Sally, is it?" He inquired, and at her nod there was very slight warming of his expression. "My brother has spoken of you most kindly."

"I think soon, it's been several hours since they left . . ." She glanced at Michael, who had moved down to the floor again and was now examining InuYasha's sword which had been propped against the wall. She waggled her hand, and frowned shaking her head at him. "Can I give InuYasha a message for you?"

She could feel the Demon's scrutiny again, and it made her skin crawl.

"You use that name . . ." He paused a moment, "Why?"

"That's his name, isn't it?" She raised her chin. True, he had never told anyone specifically that his name was anything other than Caleb. "I know his I.D. says Caleb, but I . . . I knew who he really was even before Kagome figured it out, at least consciously."

"Ask him how he does that trick with the sword . . ." prompted Michael, who was busy examining the hilt for the hidden buttons he knew must be there. He shook the sheathed weapon, then pulled the rusted blade out and swung it around in the air with a perplexed look on his face.

"If that is Mr. Andrews. . ." at Selene's nod he continued, "you would be well advised to not handle Tetsusaiga. It is not a . . . toy. Only InuYasha can command that sword."

With that said, Selene gave Michael one of her patented 'you will surely die a thousand painful deaths' looks, and he froze, still holding the katana out and away from him. Blushing, he hunched his shoulders and responded with his pleading 'surely my dear, I meant no harm' expressions as he sheathed it again. Post haste, he put the sword back where he found it and rubbed his hands nervously on his shirt.

"I will make sure he gets your message, Mr. Inudono. . ." she prompted.

There was yet another moment of silence, and she watched the miniature Demon on the screen. He was so still that she wondered if the connection had been broken, or if there was a problem with delay in the signal.

"Tell him . . ." he arched a brow at her, and his tone was stern, "that I have need to speak with him immediately on his return. It is . . . important."

The screen suddenly went black, before a list of options appeared. Michael leaned over and noted that the call had been ended.

"Not much for formalities, is he? Not even a good-bye, or thank you," he observed glumly.

"Wow, this thing is amazing!" she exclaimed as she ran over the list. "Sat. Radio, T.V., G.P.S., Voice or Video Communications . . . _DAMN_!"

"You just got through talking to one of the wealthiest people in the country, and a _Demon_ no less, and you're all aflutter over the damn phone?" Michael stared at her with disbelief. Both of them raised their heads to the sound of an approaching motorcycle.

"Tell me you took the ward off the door, Monk. . ." she lowered her head and eyed him, as she closed the hinged back of the unit.

"Uh . . ." He rose from the floor, "Ok . . . I took the ward off the door . . ." he offered her his best boyishly sweet smile, then darted out of the room to dismantle the ward, agilely dodging the tossed pillow that followed him.

Setting the device back on the end table where she had found it, Selene sniffed lightly at a disturbingly familiar aroma emanating from the direction of her kitchen.

Something was burning . . . and it sure as hell better not be her house!

_oo0O0oo_

After abruptly disconnecting the call, Sesshoumaru silently chastised himself for being rude to the nice police officer. However, it had taken an extraordinary amount of focus and concentration to remain placid during their short conversation, and he truly did not wish to inadvertently vent his fury on the innocent women.

It was not her fault that InuYasha tended to be a bonehead.

What the Hell was InuYasha thinking, to leave Tetsusaiga in the care of that fatuous clod, Andrews?

_'Ask him how he does that trick with the sword,' _echoed in his mind.

The very idea! He imagined the fool had been looking for hidden buttons or triggers. The list of reprimands he had been keeping mentally for his brother was growing longer by the minute.

It had been nearly 24 hours since his last contact with his wayward sibling. Inwardly he fought with the old cliché 'No news is good news', but knowing InuYasha it was a certainty that would not be the case.

Damn him.

"Another delivery for the young lord, Sesshoumaru-sama," announced Timothy from the door way to his study.

"Does it never stop?" Sesshoumaru eyed the clock on his desk. So late on a Sunday evening and still the deliveries came.

He mentally kicked himself for ever even considering taking InuYasha to the opera. Between that, and the hint of his recovery from an illness in the newspaper article, every posturing, conniving, husband seeking, ass kissing member of local society seemed to have a need to send greetings or gifts. At first the arrival of the gifts and messages had been a trickle, no more. Now the library had become a mail room of sorts, with literal stacks of packages and envelopes.

It was a marvel that the summons from the Intercontinental Council hadn't been lost in the fray. They would need to leave in two days to arrive at the session in time, and he had yet to tell Kagura of his impending departure, let alone InuYasha who was expected to attend as well.

"It seems your brother has many well-wishers, my Lord," came Timothy's funereal response. "I believe you will want to see this one for yourself, Sir."

"Hn," the Demon grunted unappreciatively. "Just place it with the other things in library, Timothy." He waved to dismiss him, but the man remained steadfast, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Sesshoumaru.

"I do not recommend placement of this gift in the library, my Lord. The results could prove disastrous." Without further ado, Timothy retrieved a rather large looking crate from the hallway and set it inside the study.

Sesshoumaru rose from his desk, eyes never leaving the resin case, which looked suspiciously like a traveling kennel. Someone sent livestock? Who would be so stupid?

"Where is the card?" He asked his attendant.

"There was no card, my Lord. However, there are a number of other items." Timothy motioned toward the hallway, where upon investigation Sesshoumaru found a rather daunting stack of assorted boxes.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Kagura from down the hall as she approached the study. "Someone's birthday?"

"Hardly." The Demon responded drolly. Turning to Timothy, he issued his edict, "Have these removed to the library, leave the crate where it is."

"Crate?" Kagura breezed past him into the study. "OH! He's adorable!"

Following her in, he found her cuddling a squirming white puff of fur. The tail was going wildly, as he watched his mate coo and snuggle the little beast.

"It's a dog," he observed belatedly.

"He's precious! Is he for me?" she asked hopefully, lifting the puppy up and touching noses with it. "You really shouldn't have!"

"That's good . . ." he nodded his head with undisguised amusement at the way she was making over the little ball of fur. "Because I didn't."

"Oh." He watched her exuberance decline for a moment. "Well, he's still adorable . . . Who does he belong to?" She cradled the puppy, then dropped to sit in a chair, stroking it.

"It would be my assumption that _it _belongs to InuYasha," he replied. "But from whom I do not know. The question is, what to do with the little beast until my brother deems a call home worthy of his time."

"He's not a beast, Sesshoumaru! He's a baby, and obviously very hungry for attention. . ." she raised the puppy to eye level and cooed, "aren't you, sweetie?" She looked over at her vexed mate, then grinned wickedly. "He's made the news again, or so I heard . . . something about breaking hearts," She chuckled. "Bonnie in the kitchen said they had footage of him walking hand in hand on the pier with a girl."

"Kagome, no doubt." Sesshoumaru allowed himself a sigh. "I really do need to get it through his thick skull how important it is to not put himself in that position."

"Oh, Sesshoumaru, what harm has he done? He's simply courting his intended mate, ne? It doesn't matter what the masses think . . ." She hugged the puppy.

"Too much scrutiny by the press always leads to complications, that is an inevitability that can be counted on . . ." He moved to the window, and watched toward the gates in hopes of seeing the red motorcycle.

"Well, just who was it that started the presses? _You _were the one who dragged him out into the public eye in the first place!" She watched his back stiffen, her amusement at his reaction unchecked.

"Remember your place, woman . . ." he growled.

"Oh, excuse me!" she chortled. "Would that be underneath your bejeweled foot, my Lord?"

"I fail to find the humor in this," he turned and glowered at her.

"Of course you do, dear . . . that has never been your forte," she acknowledged helpfully, dropping the puppy to the floor. "Oh, good grief! Would you just relax?"

"Your irreverent attitude is making that impossible!" He hissed at her uncharacteristically. "This Sesshoumaru has to answer for any and all indiscretions."

"Oh, get over yourself." She joined him at the window and deftly began massaging his shoulders. "You'd think the weight of the world rested on these."

He couldn't help the low moan that escaped with her unexpected attentions. The woman knew exactly how to push his buttons, both pleasant and not so pleasant. Turning, he pulled her into an embrace. He had to tell her about the summons, but was unsure how to do so.

"I like this spot much better than under your bejeweled foot," she grinned into his chest. "Just because I let you bite me, doesn't mean you get to wipe your feet on me, you know."

"You 'let' me bite you, huh?" There was just something wrong about that. He would have to think on a proper response when his mind wasn't so preoccupied. She was finally and completely his. And he was just as completely hers. That was all that really mattered in this moment in time. He nuzzled her neck and tried to let go of his apprehensions regarding his brother, and the impending inquisition by the Council.

"What is it?" she asked simply, pulling away to meet his golden gaze. "What aren't you telling me?"

He should have known better. Now that they were linked through the bond of mates, he would not be able to hide behind his mask of indifference. Not that he had had much success at doing so prior to that. Even before, she had learned to read his moods better than anyone else, which had been both a blessing and a curse.

He searched her scarlet eyes for several moments, noting the concern as it grew in them.

"There is an emergency session of the Council convening in three days. Both I and InuYasha have been summoned." There, it was out. He braced himself for the impending windstorm.

"Surely you aren't expecting InuYasha to leave that poor girl unprotected?"

This was not the response he had expected. What he had expected was outrage that he, her mate, was being abducted by the Councilors for an undisclosed period of time. Or a plea to be allowed to, at the very least, travel with him. Frustrated stomping of feet that her new mate would have to be gone, away from her. Tears and pleading that he try to get out of the obligation. No. None of that. Definitely not what he had expected at all.

As he considered an appropriate response, movement pulled his eyes past his mate, and to his utter dismay he witnessed the thus far unnamed beast that she had been coddling, squat and produce a dark stain spreading on his antique Persian rug.

This had not been a good day for Lord Sesshoumaru.

_oo0O0oo_


	40. Chapter Thirty Nine

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, they are the brain children of Rumiko Takahashi. I do, however, own an overactive imagination . . .

Finding Kagome

Chapter 39

"At the very least, you could show a little bit of compassion!" Kagome's plea fell on deaf ears, as the hanyou stormed ahead of her into the house. Dropping her pack in the middle of the living room floor, he yanked off his helmet and tossed it onto the couch then stood with folded arms glowering at her.

Exasperated and confused, Kagome's shoulders slumped as she took in the visage of his obvious disapproval. Sure, she had known he was temperamental, it was laced all through the family stories. She had known how brash he was capable of being, and that it was part of his character to hide his true feelings behind either anger or bravado.

What she didn't understand was why he was reacting so strongly to the encounter they had just had with the news reporter. Was he embarrassed to be seen with her in public?

"You're mad because that guy was recording us . . ." she ventured, stabbing for some kind of answer, all the while feeling a sense of foreboding. "He said he wouldn't show it!"

"That's not the point, Kagome." He looked away from her. "It's their _job _to show it . . . You can damn well count on 'em doin' just that. You're stupid if you think they won't do their fuckin' job."

"I'm stupid?" Her hands pulled into fists. "He shook his head! That was as good as a promise! He may be youkai, but he understands the meaning of a promise, I'm sure of it!"

"Who's youkai?" Selene asked, overhearing Kagome's rebuttal as she entered the room. "You counting on demon promises? About what?"

InuYasha focused his glower on Selene.

"A reporter approached us as we were leaving the pier, and. . ." Kagome glanced back at InuYasha, "I screwed up, I guess."

"You guess?" He glared down at her then announced to Selene, "Stupid bitch healed the reporter right in front of the camera. And she _guesses_ that she screwed up!"

"Oh," Selene took a moment to think about the ramifications. "So. . . this is bad. . . why?"

InuYasha stared at Selene for a moment, eyes narrowed, then sighed as though he was put out to have to explain something so obvious.

"I gotta stay out of the news . . . I'm supposed to stay 'low profile', and she goes and does some shit like this," he waved his arm in Kagome's general direction then stubbornly refolded them.

"It's obvious you haven't been doing a very good job of staying 'low profile'!" Kagome countered, "She knew _exactly_ who you are!" Leaning toward him with her hands still fisted, she couldn't help but jab a little harder. "At least I did something _productive_! You didn't have to break her microphone! We could have just left, you know!"

"You broke her microphone?" Selene asked, aghast. "Surely you didn't have to do that."

"The bitch wouldn't stop askin' questions! I told her 'no interview', exactly the way the Jackass told me to say it . . . twice! She didn't stop!" His back was up now, and Kagome watched the irate hanyou with the brand of detached interest that feeds the subconscious during conflict . . . so this was the real reason he was so upset. His focus on _her_ actions was an attempt to deflect from his own.

"You baka!" She pounced, "You called _me _stupid!" Then leaning toward him with a flushed face, "You're embarrassed because you lost your temper and you're blaming the whole thing on me!"

"The Hell!" He leaned toward her, face reddening. "You need to fuckin' control your impulses, bitch! That damn cat had the camera on you the whole time!"

"And he didn't when you broke the microphone? You KNOW better, InuYasha! He got the whole thing, and now you're _busted_! Admit it!" Her eyes glittered with anger. "I hope they do show it . . . Teach you a lesson, you arrogant . . . mean . . . self obsessed . . . ARRGH!" She stomped her foot, then cast a sidelong glance at her shocked friend, who's head had been swinging back and forth between them akin to watching a tennis match.

"You don't mean that, Kagome. You're just upset." Selene's confusion at Kagome's outburst was evident. Reaching toward her friend, she thought better of it and pulled back.

"You bet your ass I'm upset! He has the audacity to blame me, like I invited them or something! He just doesn't want anyone to know that he's seeing me . . . a simple . . . _stupid_ elementary school teacher!" She reached down for her pack, tears brimming. "I'm done with this, I have better things to do," she waved her free hand, head down and left the room.

She didn't see the look of abject horror on InuYasha's face at her proclamation.

"You should call your brother, InuYasha. He's been trying to reach you," Selene suggested grimly. "Maybe he can smooth things over with the station before they press charges against you."

"Charges?" InuYasha's expression morphed into angry disbelief. "She asked for it!"

"Those field mikes are expensive, and destruction of property is a valid charge in this kind of situation . . ." Overhearing the exchange, Kagome pushed through her door wondering if he really was that dense. _And he called ME stupid!_

She slammed the door behind her and tossed the pack onto her bed. How could such a wonderful afternoon turn bad so quickly? She curled up into a little ball and stopped fighting the tears. She couldn't believe he had called her stupid. Maybe she was stupid. Maybe she was stupid to think that he really did love her.

'_You know he wants you_,' came the self talk. _"That kiss at the pier said it all. . ." _

"I don't know that," she muttered, shaking her head. " He may want me, but . . . He doesn't want to be seen with me . . ." She had seen the look on his face while they were at the mall when she introduced him to her college friend, Laurel. He didn't like it that she had called him her 'boyfriend'. Maybe she had misunderstood. Maybe he wasn't here to be with her after all. Maybe all he was looking for was a plaything . . .

Maybe she really _was _stupid.

Maybe she had been stupid all along . . . to not listen to what Mikey had been trying to tell her from the start. She hadn't shown InuYasha the Sacred Jewel yet, and for that she felt pitifully little relief as she clutched at it through her sweater.

But, as warm and alive as it felt, it offered her no comfort. It was nothing in comparison to the warmth she had felt in his arms. Her heart lodged into her throat as she realized that what she felt for him quite probably was not reciprocated.

"Kagome," InuYasha pushed the door open.

"Momma's right," she muttered into her hand as she hid her tear stained face. "I must be delusional . . . delusional _and _stupid!"

"Kagome . . ." she could feel his warmth as he moved closer.

"Go AWAY!" She shouted through her hands, refusing to look at him.

"You got it wrong . . . look at me, damnit," he persisted, reaching for her arm.

"No!" she cried, twisting herself away from his touch. "You're right, I was stupid to think you could ever really love me. I'm an embarrassment to you."

"Don't _ever_ say that!" He hissed next to her ear. The tone of his voice caused her to cringe. She had never heard him use that tone before.

Suddenly thoughts of just how dangerous he could be fluttered through her mind. Every bit as dangerous as Kouga. And she hadn't backed down to Kouga. She sure as hell wasn't going to back down to InuYasha.

"Just GO! GET OUT!" She screamed. "Leave me alone . . ."

Before she realized what was happening, he had yanked her arms away from her face and flipped her onto her back, pinning her hands over her head. Straddling her hips, he locked her legs against the bed with his shins. Using his weight he held her as she squirmed and squealed.

"Let me GO!" She demanded, bucking under him frantically. InuYasha easily held her in place, his lips thinned in a grim set while his eyes narrowed on her.

Glaring at his determined expression with defiance, she suddenly stopped her struggle against his hold. "Admit it, InuYasha . . . you are embarrassed to be seen with me!"

"Where the HELL did you get THAT crazy idea?" He demanded.

"Get off her!" Came a low, masculine growl from the doorway. Kagome twisted her head to find Michael watching them, face contorted with rage. "Haven't you done enough damage? Leave her alone!"

"This isn't your fight, Monk . . ." InuYasha dismissed him and focused on her renewed struggle underneath him.

"The Hell it isn't!" Michael dug into his pocket and pulled out a long, narrow, intricately woven paper Ofuda. Kagome watched with horrified fascination as he flashed toward InuYasha, and looped it around his throat then yanked.

"OW! SHIT!" InuYasha grabbed at his neck, falling off Kagome and rolling from the bed to the floor with a thump, hissing each time his hands touched the offending article. "Son of a bitch!"

Kagome sat up and watched the floundering hanyou with horror. Mikey had leashed him and it was really hurting him. She had to fight her instinctive impulse to reach out to him. It was burning him, she could see angry red welts forming around his neck.

"Let him go, Mikey," her tone was edged with fear. Something that appeared so simple had brought the legendary hero down and regardless of their squabble, she was absolutely certain she didn't like this turn of events.

"The Hell I will!" Michael yanked lightly on the chain, pulling a string of foreign expletives out of the weakened hanyou. "I refuse to allow him to treat you like that, Kagome."

"You don't have any say in how I treat my mate, bouzu!" InuYasha hissed again at the pain. "This is between me and her, asshole!"

His words stung her, possibly as much as the Ofuda was stinging him. He couldn't fight it. It had made him weak as a kitten and she couldn't stand to see him like that.

And he had called her his mate.

"How can you say that? Call me that? I'm _not _your . . . mate!" Kagome moved to the edge of the bed, her emotions oscillating wildly. "The Great InuYasha would never be mated to someone as _stupid_ as me!"

"Kami, Kagome . . ." it was a plea, and it tore at her heart. "Haven't you heard anything I've told you? FUCK! Miroku, you bastard!"

Kagome, succumbing to her instinctive need to protect him, jumped from the bed and slammed her body full force against Michael, throwing him roughly against the dresser and causing him to drop the chain.

"Kagome!" Michael gasped, shocked at her violent assault against him.

"I said LET HIM THE FUCK GO!" She screamed. "You're HURTING HIM!" She slapped him on the cheek with her rage, then reached down and pulled the narrow chain away from InuYasha's neck. Angrily she yanked at the thing but failing to pull it apart she threw it in Michael's face. "NEVER AGAIN, DAMNIT!"

"What the Hell is going on in here?" Came a frantic demand from Selene, as she took in the bizarre tableau from the doorway.

"You sure as Hell defend me like you're my mate . . . a regular inuyoukai bitch." InuYasha gingerly touched the blistering welts on his neck. "Sure you don't have some demon blood?"

Kagome knelt beside him and examined the injury. "Just hold still . . ." and she gently brought glowing fingertips to his neck.

"Inudono was manhandling her, damnit! I got him off her and this is the thanks I get!" Michael rubbed at his reddening cheek, then wound the paper chain up as he glared at InuYasha. "At least now I know how to kick your sorry ass."

"Don't you even think about it, Mikey," Kagome ground out, as she pulled away to examine the now unblemished neck of her hanyou.

"Right out of a god damned textbook," Michael retorted. "The abused partner always defends the abuser, Kagome."

"Now, wait just one minute! What did he _do_?" Selene demanded, hands on her hips.

"He had her pinned to the bed!" Michael pointed at the bed as though it were offensive to him. "She told him to go, and he held her down! I wasn't about to wait around for him to belt her one!"

"Belt her?" Unfamiliar with the term, InuYasha's brow furrowed.

"He was trying to get me to listen to him!" Kagome protested. "He wasn't going to hit me . . ." she studied his confused expression, "were you?"

"Hit . . . _you_?" A look of horror settled on his features. "I would die for you, Kagome. Why would I ever hit you?"

Kagome found herself lost once again in those golden eyes, which warmed measurably under her scrutiny. InuYasha reached around her and pulled her close.

"Looks to me like it's 'Legendary Hanyou 1, Meddling Psychologist 0' . . ." Selene folded her arms. "Of course there's that penalty for the phone call incident this morning . . . and that disaster in my kitchen." She held out her hand, "c'mon Michael, lets go see if your experiment can be salvaged, or if we need to call F.E.M.A."

"I hate it when you keep score like that," Michael grumbled and headed out the door ignoring her outstretched hand . "This isn't a damn game." He cast one last scowling glance past her at the couple now cuddling on the floor.

"Then stop acting like it is," Selene responded blandly as she followed him out the door. "Let me see that thing in your pocket . . ."

"Selene Rodriguez! Now is HARDLY the time for that!" Came his exasperated response from down the hall.

Kagome tucked her head under InuYasha's chin, and giggled when she heard the flat of Sally's hand meet with the back of Mikey's head.

InuYasha sighed, and tightened his hold on her. "Does it take him tryin' to kill me to get you to listen to me?" He asked.

"Kill you?" She stiffened, then pulled back to capture his eyes. "Kami . . . that wouldn't have killed you . . . would it?"

"He's getting stronger. And smarter. That little trick . . ." he rubbed at his neck reflexively, "I have to fight him, Kagome. He won't stop until I prove that I can beat him."

"I don't understand," she moved to get up from his lap and he pulled her back.

"You're mine, damnit. I told you, I am never letting you go." He wrapped his arms around her possessively. "You've got it wrong, Koi. I could never be embarrassed by you, you're . . . everything."

"But . . ." Kagome fingered the rosary, unable to meet his eyes, "You didn't like it when I told Laurel that you are my boyfriend. I could see it, so don't lie to me."

She felt him stiffen slightly, then take in a deep breath.

"You're right . . . I didn't like it . . ." He tipped her chin up with a crooked finger, capturing her eyes with his. "Because you are so much more to me than that. It sounded . . . too simple . . . too casual."

Kagome felt her heart swell. Could he really love her as much as she loved him?

"Well, I can't call you my mate. That would be premature, don't you think?" She cursed her logic as she watched his countenance fall. "My friends wouldn't understand that term, anyway . . ."

"Then let's get married," his simple solution solicited a gasp from her. "It's the human thing to do, right? Then there won't be any more damn questions. Even your friends'll know that you're mine."

"InuYasha . . ." She stammered, "I . . . we . . . but . . ."

"No buts, Koi." He pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her attempted protest. "First I need to kick that baka's ass . . . then we'll go do just that." He had decided. Kagome was at a loss for words.

"It's not that simple!" She squeaked, causing him flatten his ears protectively against his skull. "There's the blood test, and the marriage license, and you have to find someone to perform the ceremony . . ."

"Blood test?" He frowned. "Ceremony . . . Ok, ceremonies are good . . . but a license? You've gotta get the government's permission to take a mate?"

"Yeah, you do," she confirmed with a sigh, resting her head on his shoulder.

"But, Kagome . . ." he twisted his head to look down at her. "You would do it? To be with me?"

"Your name would be in the paper, you know . . . more news . . ." she added evasively. "And it probably wouldn't be very 'low profile' considering who your brother is."

InuYasha grabbed her shoulders and held her a moment, his gaze intense.

"Telling the world that you're my mate? My wife?" He asked excitedly.

"Neither of us even has a home right now! Don't you think this is rushing things? I mean, not a half an hour ago you were calling me a stupid bitch, and now you want to get married?" She pushed away from him, and rose to get her pack.

She could feel his eyes on her back as she emptied the contents of her bag onto the bed. The idea of marriage after only two days of knowing him was unsettling.

"Ok, so you aren't ready." He stated flatly, folding his arms. "That doesn't mean it isn't going to happen, Kagome. I can wait . . ." He watched her remove her purchases, and start to hang them in her closet.

"I wouldn't want to rush something that important, it takes planning." She turned to him, "You haven't even met my mother yet! And who would officiate? I've got my hands full enough with the Cultural Fair right now . . . " _And would he still want to do this if I told him about the Shikon no Tama?_

"That's my Kagome, always so practical," his tone wasn't very complementary as he rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on the interior of the open closet. "Speaking of practical, that bar . . . it's wood right?"

Kagome frowned eying the bar she had just hung her new clothes on. "I guess so, why?"

"How much you think it weighs?" He moved closer, his eyes shining with intent.

"I have no idea . . . what are you thinking?" He was beginning to worry her again.

He reached and lifted the bar from it's mounts, then tilted it to let the hangers slide down to the floor, their clatter muffled by Kagome's most recent purchases.

"HEY!" She shrieked, "Those are my clothes!"

"And this," he hefted the dowel easily and turned it, examining it seriously, "is the answer to my problem . . . A little heavy," he frowned bouncing it, then tilted his head in consideration, "but it'll do ." He nodded once, apparently satisfied.

He looked at her expectantly, "I'll need one more."

_ooO0Ooo_

"Don't worry, Mother . . . He'll be back soon."

Miranda turned from her silent contemplation of the sunset. Ginta, who had always seemed to be somewhere off in the background, had joined her on the small deck where Kouga had so hastily departed her company.

"He left so suddenly . . . I hardly got a good-bye out of him," she whispered, her head lowered.

"That's my fault, I told him where he could find M'noche," the youkai offered as explanation. "He needs to deal with him right now, before he moves again . . . it can't wait."

"Who's M'noche?" Her brow furrowed. She couldn't recall having heard Kouga speak of this person before.

"He leads a tribe from the South. We've been in alliance with them for a few years." Ginta looked off to the distance. "I've never cared for them, they value nothing."

"Then why an alliance with them?" She inquired, leaning back against the rail.

Ginta's light gray eyes lit on her, his expression unreadable.

"Means to an end I guess," he muttered. "Ayame seemed to think their tactics would come in handy." He looked away again, his eyes hardened. "Brutal lot. I hope Kouga ends it."

"Brutal? Isn't that what we are trying to avoid? Unnecessary brutality and bloodshed?" She turned away, trying to hid the fear that crossed her features.

"Yes, Mother . . . _now_." She turned to find his eyes on her, sparkling with warmth. "It's your influence on him . . . it will push Kouga to do what's right. Ending the alliance with those . . . animals."

"Isn't my mate taking a risk meeting with . . . _those_ _animals_ . . . alone?" Her emphasis on his term for them was not lost on Ginta.

"Mother . . . Your mate is a formidable warrior. Granted those assholes can be vicious, but only with the weak." He spoke slowly and stepped closer to her for emphasis, "They can't hold a candle to Kouga, and they know it. He'd wipe the floor with them." At the intensity of her examination of his eyes, he bowed slightly, lowering them in deference. "They're nothing but a pack of cowards, and have no honor."

Silence fell between them as she chewed on this new information. If they had no honor, then they surely would fight dirty. And Kouga was alone. As powerful as he was, he was still alone.

"You should be with him, backing him up . . . not wasting time here with me!" she stated with irritation.

"I serve him best where I am, Mother. There is no more honored duty than protecting you, the First Mother . . . and the Heir Apparent," he replied, his tone gentle. "It's as close to a sacred trust as you'll find among our people."

Miranda turned to him, her eyes narrowed in contemplation. His expression was open and honest, there was no hint of deception to be found. Nor concern for the safety of his leader. He truly believed what he had said about Kouga's prowess, but she couldn't quite grasp the importance of the title he was placing on her.

"First Mother?" She reached out touched his cheek with her fingers, forcing him to meet her eyes. "Explain."

"You are the mate of our leader, and carrying the heir. That makes you First Mother . . . Didn't Kouga explain it to you?" Ginta's response held a hint of irritation.

"No," she answered flatly, turning away. "I guess it slipped his mind."

Once again she found herself envisioning Kouga as Peter Pan, but this time followed by a host of lost boys, all looking to _her _to mend their clothes and prepare their food. The thought was not a pleasant one, and she grimaced.

She heard a sigh escape her guardian, laced with a hint of exasperation. Apparently he didn't always see eye to eye with her mate's way of handling matters. But, he deferred to him, regardless. Just as he appeared to be deferring to her, now. A long silence passed between them, and she struggled against her worry.

"He'll be home soon. Hopefully he will have closed this bloody chapter and we can move on to better days," Ginta offered, hopefully. She suspected he could scent her worry just like Kouga could.

"Then they will just . . . what? Leave? Peaceably?" Her doubt was obvious. "Why don't I believe that?"

"If they're smart, they will. If not, there'll be a fight. You've got to understand, they are no more than thugs. I was against the alliance from the start," he reached to touch her arm, and she flinched away. "Ayame was the initiator, she didn't have the same respect for ningen as Kouga. Probably because of her jealousy of Kagome nee-san."

Her attention was drawn from the setting sun by the sound of an approaching car. It wasn't a commonly traveled road, as it dead ended not far past her house. Looking up she recognized the vehicle as belonging to the surfer. She wasn't prepared to deal with him, but with Kouga being absent, she would have no choice.

"Perfect . . ." Ginta muttered, a hint of a grin on his face. Reaching to the table for her lighter. "I'll light the torches, it's getting dark for human eyes."

"Kagome? Why was she was jealous of Kagome?" Miranda watched him as he went around and lit the oil torches one by one.

"Kagome was our adopted pack sister, a human girl. She aided our tribe on more than one occasion, along with her friends. Kouga . . ." he stopped, watching Hojo approach from the road, "Kouga announced his intent to take her as his mate, and actively tried to win her, and that pissed Ayame off. She hated humans because of it, I think."

"You sound like you really liked Kagome, Ginta." She peered at him, as he shuffled his feet with discomfort.

"We all loved her, Mother. She was our pack sister, even though she never did come back to live with us. She was kind and considerate, a really sweet person. I cried when I heard that she'd died," he whispered, looking down, then fixed her pointedly with his nearly translucent gaze, "Ningen lives are too short."

Stricken with his intensity, Miranda was at a loss for words. This youkai seemed to hold all life with the deepest of respect. Human too. She felt a sense of regret that she had not made effort to get to know him better before now.

"Good, a witness!" Ginta's expression brightened as he moved to greet Hojo.

"Witness? For what?" Miranda turned toward the approaching young man, trying to put on a smile for her unexpected guest, and not completely succeeding.

"Miranda," Hojo's eyes were warm, implying affection, which was unexpected. He took her hand and held it gently.

"Kouga isn't here, Hojo. He had some business to attend to," she glanced at Ginta.

"That's Ok. I kind of wanted to talk to you, anyway. I've been working on the website, and I need some feedback . . ." he glanced at Ginta's expectant expression warily. "What's up?"

"You're my witness. I wanna be the first," he stated simply.

"What are you talking about? First of what?" Miranda lowered herself to the bench again, and patted beside her for Hojo to join. At least he too was human, and for that she felt a sense of kinship.

"When Kouga presents you to the Tribe, all the males of age will be expected to pledge their fealty to you." He grinned and winked. Lowering down before her on his knees, his pale gray eyes met her emerald with an intensity and conviction she had not seen on that face before.

"Ginta, please . . . get up . . ." she pleaded, leaning toward him. "You're making me nervous."

"No," he refused. "I want this."

"If it's that important to him, you should let him," Hojo whispered into her ear. "It can't hurt anything, right?"

"I supposes not, it just seems . . . unnecessary." She sighed, then motioned for the youkai to continue.

Ginta nodded once, then pulled his weapons, a katana and what appeared to be a long hunting knife. Crossing them in the air, he then laid them at her feet. Placing one fisted arm across his chest, he spoke.

"I, Ginta of the Ookami, pledge my sword, my blood, and my life to you, Miranda, First Mother of our Tribe," he then dropped his forehead to the deck in total and complete submission to her.

There was definitely more to this creature than she had given him credit for.

"Damn," Hojo whispered, impressed.

Miranda could feel Hojo's gaze on her as she considered an appropriate response, since it was apparent that Ginta was ever so patiently waiting for one.

All she could think of was how Arthurian the whole scenario seemed, enhanced by the flickering torchlight. Like they were children playing at the Kings Court, and she was expected to knight him. That he felt there was a need to do this at all nagged at the back of her mind. Dangerous times were ahead, no doubt.

"I have no sword to pledge . . ." muttered Hojo, a hint of disappointment in his tone, which elicited a surprised glance from Miranda and a loud shushing from Ginta, who patiently held his prone position.

"Just do your job, witness . . ." he growled. "You'll get your chance later."

Miranda wanted to laugh. It all seemed so silly, and now Hojo wanted to play too. Schooling her expression, she reached down and touched Ginta's shoulder lightly.

"I accept your pledge, Ginta of the Ookami. . . in the name of my unborn child."

"And for you too, Mother . . . please . . ." she heard a pleading tone to his request, far from the growl that he had just given Hojo. This was very important to him. This was no game for the youkai, and the seriousness of the moment took hold on her.

"Alright." She rephrased her response, her expression reflecting the serious intent of the offering being made to her. "I accept your pledge, Ginta, for _myself _and for my unborn child. May the days of your service to us both be long."

She watched as he let out a relieved breath, and seemed to relax. Lifting his head, he had the brightest smile on his face. It was really quite endearing. Her heart warmed as she returned his smile, eyes twinkling in the torchlight.

"Thank you," he lowered his head deferentially, then retrieved his weapons, sheathing them, and stood.

"I'm not Ookami, and I have no sword . . ." Hojo looked thoughtful. "But Kouga has promised me a place by his side."

"I can remedy that," Ginta offered, examining the young man. He then looked at Miranda for approval.

"Oh, no you don't . . ." she waved him off. "That's something Kouga should decide."

"Oh, he's decided – he's just been too preoccupied to follow through. I think I know Kouga's mind . . . and he wants this one bonded." He nodded toward Hojo.

"Then, so be it." Miranda shrugged, sitting back. Far be it for her to stand in the way of progress. It was her idea to bring in human followers, and Hojo was the catalyst. It just made good sense that he be brought into the tribe. And how it would be done was piquing her curiosity.

Ginta motioned for Hojo to join him on the deck, each on their knees facing one another. Pulling his hunting knife, he slowly slit the inside of his forearm and handed Hojo the blade, watching him expectantly.

Miranda smiled, now understanding what was happening.

Hojo held the knife in his hand, frozen as he gaped at the dripping wound on the youkai's arm, a shadow of horror crossing his features.

"Do it, boy," Ginta hissed menacingly, "Or I'll do it for you."

Hojo glanced at Miranda, who smiled at him reassuringly. "It's ok, Hojo . . . He's bringing you into the brotherhood." She nodded, "Trust me . . . Do it for Kouga."

His lips set in a thin, grimly determined line, Hojo brought up the blade and dug it into the softly yielding flesh of his inner forearm with a low gasp. Ginta quickly grabbed his arm in a warrior's grip, and producing a wide leather cord from his belt, he looped it around their arms, binding them together.

"I accept you as my brother, Hojo . . ." he tightened his grip and shook it slightly which drew Hojo's eyes away from their concerned examination of their arms. Locking him in his gaze he proclaimed, "You are now of my blood, my pack and my tribe. _Nothing_ can break this bond . . . short of death." Hojo swallowed noticeably, and Ginta nodded once.

Miranda could not hide her awe at the simple ceremony. Hojo was now one of them, just as assuredly as she was. A blood brother to her sworn protector. An unbreakable blood oath.

Ginta unwound the cord that held their arms. "You're gonna notice some changes," he grinned to the worried looking young man. "Trust me, it's all good . . . don't look so worried!" He slapped him amiably on the shoulder as he rose to his feet. Hojo looked at his wound and tried to pull a smile, and found it wasn't as difficult to do as he'd thought when he glanced up to meet Miranda's smiling eyes .

"We should wrap that," she suggested, rising to go into the house.

"Miranda, I need for you to look at the website . . ." Hojo's request was cut off by a low growl from Ginta, who had produced his short blade and waved it in his face.

"You'll address her properly, whelp!" He ordered, grabbing him up by his arm.

"Ginta!" Miranda gasped. "You treat your blood brother like that?"

"Damn straight! How else do I teach him proper respect? Now, address her properly . . . or lose your tongue!" Ginta glowered at him, his grasp tightening.

Miranda shuddered noticeably. Youkai values were going to be a challenge to adjust to.

"M-mother," Hojo swallowed hard, eyes crossed slightly as he focused on the youkai blade that was right under his nose."May I request your assistance with the website? Um . . . ma'am?"

"Better," Ginta announced. "You're a smart one," he replaced the knife and patted Hojo heavily on his back with a smile, eyes twinkling. "You'll do fine, I think. You learn quick."

_ooO0Ooo_


	41. Chapter Forty

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

A/N: I know, I know... no I didn't drop dead, aliens didn't abduct me... Summer is finally over though, and the Kami-sama have blessed me with a couple of fine betas to keep me on my toes. Special Shouts to Moomanfl and SacredSagittarius for their much appreciated input on this difficult chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it... through the writers block and all...

Finding Kagome

Chapter 40

Donna Bodine set the phone back into the cradle, a perplexed expression crossing her features. She had called repeatedly, and for days there had been no answer. Now she was getting a disconnect recording. It made no sense to her.

It simply was not like Kagome Higurashi to just . . . disappear.

Kagome taught the combined fourth and fifth grade class at Bayview Elementary School, where Donna had been Principal for the last 10 years. She was perhaps the most open, kind, outgoing individual that Donna had ever had the honor of knowing, and to have her suddenly go missing worried the woman more than she had words to describe.

When Kagome had first suggested a performance by students of one of her 'family stories' in the city wide Cultural Fair, Donna had initially balked. That was, until that fated Christmas party back in December, when she had stolen the show from Old Saint Nick himself, by telling a story that she had touted as a 'Fable from the Sunset Shrine'.

It had been nothing less than magic, as her youngest instructor relayed the tale from the perspective of an ancient tree which had been a silent witness to the events. A story of a girl and a boy from totally different backgrounds, different worlds, who met and joined forces in a common cause. They battled supernatural creatures, complete with dragons and an evil sorcerer, gathering pieces of a shattered relic which would restore peace to the land. It had been completely enchanting. Donna had been quite impressed, not only with the tale itself, but also with the enthusiastic animation exhibited by the young teacher in the telling of it. A rare gift, in this age of movies and television.

When Kagome had suggested presenting a portion of the tale in the form of a dance performance, Donna could only smile and agree. The story should be told, and the annual cultural fair was a perfect opportunity. It had taken a little bit of work, but she had found the funds to underwrite most of the production costs, leaving Kagome free to compose the music and choreograph.

She had just assumed that somewhere, the Higurashi family had chronicled these fascinating tales. But last week Kagome had informed her that the stories were an oral tradition, shared primarily during tours at a shrine in Tokyo which had been maintained by her family for generations. They had never been published.

Donna's penchant for righting universal wrongs had gone into overdrive with this revelation. Surely with the contacts that she and and her husband Gerard had, they could find the girl a publisher.

"Gerry, you spoke to Seth Inudono at the reception . . . did you by chance mention anything to him about Kagome's stories?" she called out toward the back of the apartment.

"No, not specifically. I did ask him to call me on Monday about a proposal, though. . . It's the best I could do under the circumstances," her husband ambled into the room, his customary scotch on the rocks in hand. "He had his hands pretty full with that brother of his. Strange family."

Donna laid her arm on the back of the sofa, tracing the interwoven floral design idly with a finger. "Surely he'd be interested. After all, they originate from his homeland . . ."

"I didn't get a chance to pitch anything, honey. That Caleb is operating about six cards short of a full deck." Gerard shook his head in sympathy for the normally aloof business magnate. "I think the guy was trying to single-handedly exhaust the reception's champagne supply," he joined her on the couch and sipped at his cocktail, the ice tinkling in the glass. "I don't envy Inudono having to babysit him, that's for sure . . . It's funny, for as quiet and controlled as Inudono is, his brother seems to be the exact opposite. Brash, rude. . ." Breaking his musings he glanced at his wife, noting her apprehensive expression. "Tell you what, if I don't hear from him by noon tomorrow, I'll call his office. I know this is important to you."

"I found this amazing artist. A fantasy illustrator . . . " Latching onto the subject like a life preserver, she perked up a little. "Kagome doesn't know, yet. I was hoping to surprise her, but . . . I can't find her, Gerry. She didn't say anything about going out of town during vacation. Now her phone's been _disconnected_, " she folded her arms to fend off a chill that was unrelated to any temperature changes in the room.

Gerard picked up the newspaper that was laying on the coffee table, and shook it open to the business page, walling himself away from her swinging mood. Accustomed to Donna's passions regarding causes and friends, he found life simpler if he just let her moods run their course. "Maybe she finally moved out of that closet you said she's been living in," he ventured, distractedly.

"She didn't say anything about a move. She's not very spontaneous. She would mull over something as important as that for a while, I'm sure I would have heard about it." She sat forward and clasped her hands together agitatedly, casting a furtive glance at the phone, which was useless to her at this point. Realizing that her ramblings had become nothing more than background noise to him, she reached over and brazenly pulled the newspaper down to get her husband's full attention, "I'm worried about her, Gerard."

"I am sure everything is fine, Donna." He flicked the paper back to wall himself off again, casting her a sideways glance. "You'll see her tomorrow morning and then kick yourself for being such a worry wart."

"With all the crime recently, I. . . just can't help it," she sighed, then picking up the television remote, she aimed it at the television. "She's such a gentle, sweet person . . . always so kind and considerate . . . never a cross word. . ."

_oo0O0oo_

"Empty your goddamn pockets, Mikey!"

Michael's back stiffened at the sound of Kagome's terse command, sponge poised where he had been trying to scrub scorch marks off the enamel of the stove.

"NOW, damnit!" She insisted, arms folded and a single foot tapping impatiently,

"For the love of . . . What now?" Michael dropped the sponge onto the stove top, and glared back at Kagome.

Selene, hands deep in sudsy dishwater, turned to find InuYasha standing in the doorway. In each of his hands there appeared to be long wooden dowels. Her mouth pulled into a small 'o', as her brows crested. Shaking her head with wonder at the hanyou's obvious selection of weapons, she glanced at her fiance.

"Better do what she says, Monk . . ." she smirked, before she returned to her dishes. "You've been cruisin' for it, looks like you've finally got your wish." Pulling out a molten mass that had recently been one of her nylon spoons, she grimaced, then tossed it into the trash by the door.

"Wish? Surely you don't think . . ." he shook his head, raising his hands in his customary placating manner.

"You want your chance to kick my ass? You got it!" InuYasha announced, deftly tossing one of the poles across the room to Michael, who just as agilely caught it. "But, a fair fight, asshole. No tricks . . . so lose the shit in your pockets."

Michael examined the dowel with a confused expression. "Shouldn't this been holding up hangers somewhere?"

"Yeah, and it will again, after I kick _your_ 'sorry ass', bouzu!" InuYasha grinned wickedly as he swung his pole out and lightly tapped against Michael's. "Let's go! It's getting' dark . . ." he sneered, "I don't wanna take unfair advantage."

"Oh," Selene dried her hands on the back of her jeans. "I can fix that!" She grinned and reached over to press a switch on the wall. Suddenly the dusk darkened yard lit up.

"Good." InuYasha nodded, then tapped Michael's pole again expectantly, nodding toward the door.

"Sally! Who's side are you on?" Michael nearly whined. For some bizarre reason it was beginning to feel like he was the focus of some kind of an intervention. A very strange and surreal intervention. A potentially _very painful _intervention.

"If you aren't going to empty 'em, I'll do it for you!" Kagome crossed the kitchen, and grabbed for his pants pockets. Squirming away from her, he started to laugh. The whole situation just seemed so ludicrous. "Hold still damnit!"

"Need some help?" Selene offered with grin, grabbing him around the waist.

"I think I once had a dream like this . . ." he mused, his eyes alight with glee as the two women pawed at him. "Ladies! Surely there is enough to go around!"

InuYasha snorted and rolled his eyes. Some things just never change.

Michael's amused expression remained, even though Selene succeeded in grasping his arms behind his back, causing him to drop the pole with a loud clatter. Kagome finally wriggled her hand into a pocket, digging for the contents.

"Mm, a little to the left. . ." he murmured seductively into her ear with a raised brow.

Kagome choked, then blushed furiously. InuYasha emitted a low growl of warning and advanced a step.

Swallowing back her embarrassment Kagome pulled her hand out of the pocket with a handful of harmless looking paper articles.

She knew better.

"Hey! Those are mine!" He jerked against Selene's hold on him and grimaced as he found his arms hefted uncomfortably higher against his back. "Not fair, torture wasn't part of the dream," he mumbled, brows lowering into a glower.

Examining the articles she had just retrieved from his pocket, Kagome looked up grimly at her friend's now moderately pained expression. "You've been practicing, I can see." Her face pinched briefly recalling how helpless InuYasha had been under the spell of the one in her room. Glancing back at her hanyou as he stood there expectantly, she found herself momentarily lost for words.

Kagome scowled down at the 'leash' in her hand, the one Michael had used to subdue InuYasha. It was more intricate, more elaborate than any other examples of his work that she had seen. Not only paper, but fibers were incorporated into the woven mesh. She could only guess what those fibers were from. She could only guess how he had learned how to make such a thing.

Even though she knew in her heart that it had been crafted to be used for her protection, she found it immeasurably offensive now.

Her impulse was to burn it.

"Kagome . . ." InuYasha stepped closer, his ears twitching. She knew he sensed her turmoil.

After seeing InuYasha driven to his knees, quite literally, and their subsequent discussion, it was at this moment while staring at the now offensive Ofuda, that she realized just how profound her feelings for him were. In such a short time, he had become everything.

"You can't . . ." her brow furrowed and she studied InuYasha, his head cocked to the side in question. She shook her head only slightly then looked back at Michael.

_"My . . . fiance . . . _is not your damn guinea pig, Mikey."

InuYasha blinked. Slowly his features softened as understanding came to him.

"Fiance?" Michael and Selene echoed in unison, Selene's grip loosened slightly with the revelation and Michael on sensing an opening for escape, yanked an arm free of her grasp.

Realizing her error, Selene quickly pulled the remaining arm up with a, "No you don't!" and Michael gasped as he felt the tendons of his shoulder stretched to their limit. Instinctively reaching back with his free arm to try to dislodge her hold on him, she snared it as well and he found himself in an even more dire predicament than before.

Neither of them saw the silent, however significant exchange between Kagome and InuYasha. Granted, it was far from what Kagome had ever imagined it would be like. Like most girls she had imagined a ring being involved, and perhaps a suitor on his knee. The stuff of the romance novels she had lost herself in so many times. Somehow, InuYasha on his knees again was not a pleasant thought, even if it were to profess his devotion.

Breaking the trance that those golden orbs inspired, Kagome turned to quickly dig into Michael's other pocket and pull out several more articles designed for demonic torture. "When did you find the time to make all of these?"

Michael would have shrugged -- if he had been able to move. Instead he just lowered his head, and tried for an 'innocent' look between grimaces as Selene's hold on him tightened.

"Leave some for me, wench," InuYasha admonished Selene with a wry grin, as he tilted his head in obvious fascination at the control she was maintaining on her quarry.

"I think that's it . . ." Kagome looked at the small pile she had assembled on the counter, most of which were completely foreign to her. She had no clue what they were meant to do, and that disturbed her.

She didn't really want the men to fight. She didn't want to see either of them hurt. But she knew any further argument against it would fall on deaf ears. It was a guy thing, she supposed. If the two of them couldn't get past their differences, things were going to get very messy. As if they weren't messy enough as it stood. All she could do right now was try to even the playing field between them. .

Selene released her grip, and Michael rotated his abused shoulder, rubbing it.

Pushing the dropped dowel with his bare foot toward Michael, InuYasha growled, "Let's go," and proceeded toward the door.

Kagome suspected that he didn't really want to do this either. He felt pressed by honor into doing it. Michael had humiliated him. It was the only way he knew to address that humiliation.

Glancing at the pile on the counter, Michael sighed. His best defense had just been stripped from him. His eyes fell on the sword looped into InuYasha's belt.

"Hey, Wait! What the hell is he doing with THAT?" He demanded. "No way . . ." he waved his arms.

Kagome glanced back and forth between them. InuYasha looked as though he was about to protest, his lips pursed and his eyes narrowed, but when he didn't say anything Kagome stepped in.

"He's right, you know," she held out her hand. "Why don't you let me hold it for you?"

InuYasha paused as though considering her offer. Kagome saw something in his expression that she hadn't expected. It was subtle, but it was most definitely there. Fear. Was he really that worried about being able to win against Michael? Surely he wouldn't want to use Tetsusaiga to fight him.

"It's only fair, Puppy . . ." she urged him in a low whisper.

"Keh! Fine . . . gotta be _fair_ . . ." he snarled sarcastically. Pulling the sword from his belt, he held it out to her then leaned close to whisper in her ear, "Just . . . bring it to me if I ask you to, ok? Promise me, Koi. It's important."

Searching his eyes for answers to her questions, Kagome nodded. This sword . . . it was more than just a weapon to him. She didn't know why he might need it but she had to trust that he would not use it to harm Michael.

Bending to pick the dowel up off the floor, Michael glanced back at Selene who had a smug expression on her face.

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" He accused her grimly, then followed InuYasha out the door.

Seeing the shocked expression on Selene's face, Kagome placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. Selene didn't move for a moment, and Kagome knew that she was considering the implications behind Michael's words, the subtle suggestion that she _wanted_ him to lose.

"He doesn't understand," Selene muttered. "He really just doesn't get it, does he?"

"Don't worry," Kagome offered. "It's an ego thing . . . " She grinned at Selene, wriggling her fingers in the air. "I got him covered."

"You know, Caleb, you really should get some professional help!" His tone obviously an attempt at reasoning, Michael's voice was raised an octave with anxiety. "This penchant of yours for violence isn't healthy!" He held his pole upright on the grass with one hand.

"Shut your hole, monk!" InuYasha responded, knees bent as he stalked around the man. "Fight me, damnit!" Extending his pole, he smacked it against his opponent's tauntingly, knocking it free from the ground.

Flinching to grab the dowel up into both hands, Michael shouted to the sky, "Am I the only rational person around here!"

"Be careful Mikey! Aren't you the one who told me that's what the really crazy people say?" Kagome taunted from the porch. Glancing toward the hanyou, the predatory gleam in his reflective eyes nearly stopped her heart.

"Hey! I'm not the one who drug out _closet poles_!" Michael retorted, dropping his stance to the same stalking crouch, eyes fixed on his opponent's weapon. "Talk about crazy. . ." he muttered.

"I think this show is worth a few wrinkled shirts," Selene commented quietly nodding with a grin toward their men. Leaning on the porch rail, she settled in for the exhibition. "I've never seen the monk spar. I have to admit, this is a treat."

Kagome shook her head. Selene, with years of training after being raised with four brothers, knew her way around defense. It was all foreign to Kagome, who had been brought up in a completely non-violent atmosphere.

Even so, Kagome couldn't shake a feeling of deja vu that had begun to seep in like a fog bank. They had fought over something, something irreplaceable that Michael had taken. He had tricked her and InuYasha was going to make him pay . . . with his life if necessary. Jewel shards . . . _no wait, the Jewel isn't broken . . . _

"Fuck this," InuYasha growled, and proceeded to take the offensive. Swinging rapidly in a series of windmilled slashes toward Michael, each of his attacks were quickly deflected.

The cracking sound of the wood as it struck heavily echoed against the house, pulling Kagome back to the _now_ and she couldn't help but jump with each loud connection. This was really going to take some getting used to. She grit her teeth just as she saw InuYasha back off, bouncing his pole off one hand.

"Not bad, kisama . . ." he sneered, and one fang glinted in the overly bright artificial light.

Michael bowed slightly in acknowledgment, his brow furrowed slightly at the unfamiliar term.

"What's he going to do?" Whispered Selene, pulling herself upright as she watched InuYasha.

Kagome's eyes widened as the hanyou drew his pole over his head and slammed it down toward Michael.

Quickly raising his pole braced horizontally over his head, Michael absorbed the potentially devastating blow, falling to his knees from the force. Drawing it down swiftly, he swung low as InuYasha drew his weapon back.

"Ha ha! Now who's on their knees, asshole?" InuYasha gloated, drawing up his dowel for another hammered strike, Michael's swing was true and knocked the hanyou's feet out from underneath him landing him on his posterior with a loud "Umph!".

Kagome gasped.

An indelicate snort erupted out of Selene.

"The better question is. . ." Michael grinned broadly as he used his pole to regain his feet, "who . . . is now on _their ass_?"

"Keh! Whatever . . ." InuYasha muttered, rising much more gracefully than he had landed.

Knees bent, Michael assumed ready position. Pole in both hands, he rotated it in invitation to his opponent, his face bright with enthusiasm. InuYasha did not disappoint, and again the resounding clacks of their poles meeting echoed off the house.

"I'll . . . be . . . damned," Selene muttered with awe. "The monk's enjoying this!"

Kagome marveled at the forms of the two men locked in their fierce dance around the yard. There was a feral beauty in the way InuYasha moved around Michael to attack, and the speed of those attacks were impressive. She had never seen Mikey move so quickly, as he dodged a high sweep, then jumped over the following low one. He was really giving InuYasha a run for his money.

The sound of wood on wood dimmed in her ears, becoming a nearly musical counterpoint as her eyes unfocused to another time. Another place.

The thought kept echoing through her mind, _'that monk . . . he isn't a bad person . . .'_

She could only gasp when InuYasha jumped against the trunk of the walnut tree, to push off high, flip in a somersault and then land behind Michael, a wide swing knocking the mans pole right out of his grasp, then dancing backwards with a wicked grin.

Selene winced. "That had to hurt . . ."

"GAH!" Michael shook his hands and flexed his fingers as he turned narrowed eyes on his opponent. "Damn show off . . ." he grumbled, before picking up his weapon. Swinging around, he scored a moderate blow on InuYasha's right thigh before distancing himself by using his pole as leverage to leap past the hanyou, who twirled around swinging the length of his pole out, scoring wildly against Michael's back, propelling him head first into the fence.

Both of the women winced at the sound of Michael's head hitting the wood. Stunned, he backed up a step and shook his head. InuYasha froze in place, and Kagome noted the look of concern that flitted across his features. He dropped his pole and yanked off his shirt, wiping at his face before tossing it to the side.

Kagome's eyes widened. Not having seen InuYasha in any state of undress, the sight of his well toned physique took her breath away. While his arms were not overly large, they were well defined, and his broad shoulders narrowed to a trim waistline. He had the well toned 'six-pack' set of abdominal muscles, that rippled as he tossed the shirt away.

Kagome swallowed, and glanced to find Selene watching her obviously oggle the hanyou. Blushing profusely she grasped the sword in both hands, and cleared her throat.

Picking up his dowel, InuYasha watched Michael closely as the man shook off the effects of the collision with the fence.

"Gotcha right where I want ya, now!" InuYasha raised his dowel for another hammered strike just as Michael raised his own to the horizontal position again.

"DAMN! You think that's an ax?" Michael huffed, as he intercepted the blow square on, hissing at the stinging in his hands.

"InuYasha is playing with him, do you see that?" Kagome whispered to Selene.

"He's warning him, giving him time to set a defensive stance," Selene responded. "He's trying to keep his promise."

"Promise?" Kagome flinched at the sound of breaking wood, as InuYasha struck at Michael again.

"GIVE monk! I've beaten you, your weapon is in two pieces!" InuYasha shouted, dancing backwards with a look of triumph.

Michael examined the two halves of his dowel, one in each hand, with shocked fascination.. Suddenly his face lit up with a grin.

"Here Boy!" He flung one of the poles across the yard. "FETCH!"

InuYasha's eyes brightened as he watched the path of the tossed stick, his torso twisting as if he might actually take off after it.

"Oh my GOD! He didn't just do what I think he just did . . . did he?" Kagome choked at Michael's audacity, unsuccessfully quashing a nervous giggle with the back of her hand.

"You son-of-a-bitch . . ." InuYasha ground out as he slowly turned back toward the chuckling man. "That wasn't fucking FUNNY!"

"Hey! Leave my mother out of this!" Michael wheezed, unable to control his escalating mirth. He hesitated briefly before adding maliciously, "_My_ mother wasn't a bitch, or was it daddy that was the mutt, Caleb?"

"Oh, Damn . . . He's really pissed him off, InuYasha's furious . . ." Selene mumbled, her expression sobering..

"I'm gonna wipe that smile off your face, asshole!" Picking up his dowel, he advanced toward the laughing man. "I'm done playin'."

"Caleb!" Selene shouted. "Remember your promise!"

This stopped InuYasha in his advance. Choking his hands around the pole he glowered at Michael, who had recovered from his fit of laughter, wiping a tear from his eye. On seeing the murder written on his opponent's face, he blanched.

Glancing at Selene, Kagome saw the same shadow of the fear that she herself was feeling. This was going downhill fast, but she was at a loss as to how to stop it. Why did Mikey have to be so insulting?

"No bloodshed between brothers. . . yeah, I got it," InuYasha growled. "Doesn't mean I can't fuckin' break his face!" And he tossed his dowel to the side, then rushed Michael, savagely swinging a right hook directly into the gaping man's left cheek.

Michael swung what was left of his dowel at the hanyou's head, to find it lodged firmly in his opponent's grip then yanked out of his hand. InuYasha twirled around and using the same pole, landed a blow on Michaels right arm with a resounding CRACK.

"Mikey!" Kagome cried frantically. "Just give up! Say 'Uncle'!"

"Like hell I will," Michael grunted, holding his now useless arm protectively. "Bastard! Take that! Houriki!" Yanking a pair of small scrolls from up his sleeve, Michael flung them where they adhered to the slick perspiration of InuYasha's bare chest, sparks flying from the point of contact. Raising two fingers just below his chin in a strange mockery of a Buddhist blessing, Michael lowered his head and willed the ofuda to complete it's purpose.

The scream that erupted from InuYasha was unearthly. His hair stirred by a breeze that no one else could feel, his features began to distort as he fought the effects of the Ofuda that continued to sizzle against his skin.

Breaking from his prayer, Michael was unable to mask a look of amazement as he watched the effect of his handiwork.

"MIKEY! STOP IT!" Kagome screamed, dropping Tetsusaiga as she ran down the stairs. "What the HELL IS THAT? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

Tripping on the last step, Kagome landed on her hands and knees, her mouth gaping. InuYasha's entire body had begun to change. The near howl that had emanated from him when the Ofuda first stuck, had become something else, something frightening and unreal. It was a powerful, inhuman roar, his eyes darkening to a blood red, and his fangs had become nearly tusk like. Jagged slashes of purple had appeared on his cheekbones. His fingers appeared to elongate, and the long, tough claws on his hands thickened and grew menacingly longer.

The sparking paper on his chest pulsed with a strange vapor that Kagome realized was actually smoke. The paper was burning away, disintegrating as InuYasha quieted, ceasing his fight against the transformation.

The demon eyed the ash on his chest. Flexing his fingers in front of his face, he then met Michael's shocked expression with a sinister grin.

"Inu. . .InuYasha?" Kagome gasped, edging her way closer. "What's happened to you?"

"It's his true form, Kagome. . . your 'Puppy'. . . really _is_ a monster after all," Michael announced quietly, drawing up his injured arm.

"NO!" Kagome screamed. She had to stop this insanity. But how?

"Houshi-sama!" Selene gasped as she reached up over her shoulder grasping for her weapon, her eyes never left the transformed figure in the yard below. But -- Hiraikotsu wasn't there, and her hand flexed at thin air. Her expression morphed to disbelief, then to horror as she slapped hands around behind her frantically.

"Touch Miroku again and I won't forgive you!" Selene cried as she ran down the stairs to block Michael protectively.

"Fine then, two for one!" The demon growled and raised his clawed hand. "Now. . . you die."

Kagome gasped, and ran to intercept InuYasha as he moved toward the pair. Michael shouldered past Selene, bracing his injured right arm, palm forward.

"S-Sango! Kagome! GET BACK!" Michael shouted. Selene instinctively grabbed his waist from behind and ducked her head behind his shoulders.

Kagome grabbed hold of bush, unsure if it would be sturdy enough, and braced herself for an onslaught of assaulting wind. She had to protect InuYasha, or he would be swept into oblivion.

"KAZAANA!"

Selene tightened her grip.

Kagome ducked her head under an arm, squeezing her eyes closed.

InuYasha leaped back with a low snarl.

A dog barked in the distance.

Kagome opened one eye, to see the others cringing, crouching and ducking against. . . nothing. Michael's brow furrowed, and he frowned at his hand, then shook it as though he was trying to get it to work right.

Her mind reeled with flashes of InuYasha going down, hitting the ground face first. From a tree, on a bridge, in a meadow, going through a floor, laying in a crater on a mountainside created by his own body . . .even in this form.

"OSUWARI," Kagome screamed from her prone position, just as InuYasha began moving toward the couple by the fence, and suddenly the rosary glowed followed by an enormous thud as InuYasha hit the ground. Seizing her opportunity, Kagome darted across the yard and pounced on InuYasha's back, shouting, "You guys stay away! I don't know how long this will work!"

Michael blinked in confusion at his hand as Selene tugged him away from the writhing monster at their feet.

Kagome could feel the muscles of the demon rippling beneath her as he struggled against the spell, the growl erupting from his throat inhuman and frightening, but she was determined to not succumb to the fear. The heat of his demonic aura was scorching against her skin, and she buried her face in his hair.

"Please come back to me, InuYasha," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. Looping her arms around his as he fought against the subjugation, she prayed that she was doing the right thing. She had to save her friends.

Kagome felt the surge of power building inside of her, helpless to stop it. There was a roaring in her ears like a huge wind, then suddenly the bulbs of the outdoor lights popped, and she vaguely heard the tinkling of the glass as it fell. She could feel a rush of what felt like a whirlwind swirling around them both. The power -- was too strong. She couldn't control it.

"I'm. . . sorry. . . InuYasha. . ." she whispered, struggling against the inevitable.

She felt as though her heart were going to explode before a blinding flash of pure white light turned the world black and dark as death.

The last thing that she heard was Selene scream her name.

_She was floating, suspended as if in deep water. But there was no sensation of wetness, no current. There was no sensation at all. Just a knowledge of being. _

_'What is this place?' she heard her mind say. 'Did I die? Is this the nothingness of Nirvana?'_

_'Hardly,' came a familiar sounding response. It wasn't a voice. It was more like a companion thought. 'It isn't finished yet.'_

_'Then why? What happened?' There was a stirring in the nothingness and she could see herself in the distance below, sprawled on InuYasha's back. 'Oh . . . no . . .'_

_'That disturbs you?' a face began to form in front of her. 'Don't worry . . . '_

_'But . . . InuYasha. . .' she looked on the scene below her, a great sadness enveloping her._

_'Is a lot harder to get rid of than that,' the face solidified and it was the face of her InuYasha, untouched by any transformation. 'I couldn't leave you, Kagome.'_

_'Are we dead?'_

_'Nah, I don't think so, look. . .' he nodded toward the scene below them. 'But. . . it's time for both of us to get honest . . . too much is at stake.'_

_Kagome could see Michael and Selene hovering over their bodies. Michael bent and took InuYasha's wrist, then held it as though checking for a pulse. A look of relief washed over his face._

_'So, we're just unconscious? Not dead?' Kagome was still confused. 'I hurt you. . . I'm . . . I'm so sorry.'_

_'To die is to live, and to live is to die . . .' InuYasha recited. "Hell of a lot better than the alternative."_

_"You've changed."_

_'Good becomes evil, and evil is good . . .' He continued._

_'I. . . I remember that song . . . I thought it was confusing . . . now it kind of makes sense. . .' she mused. _

_'The Yin and Yang balance the world, and interchange and intermingle according to one's perspective. . .' Kagome watched the scene unfold below. Her friends were pulling her body away from InuYasha to lay beside him on the grass. Selene patted the unconscious Kagome's cheek, attempting to bring her back._

_'Kagome. . .' his face began to obscure, and the scene below began to dissolve._

_'InuYasha,' she made to reach for him, but there was nothing to reach with. . . nothing to grasp._

"Maybe we should we call an ambulance. . ." Michael released InuYasha's wrist then examined his own palm, a look of consternation shadowing his features.

"Maybe I should call his brother. . ." Selene suggested sitting back on her heels as she examined InuYasha, who was still face down on the grass.

"Don't tell me you want to be the one to explain. . . _this_ . . . to _him_?" Michael responded, worry lacing his tone.

"Would you rather do it?" Selene shot back. "Be my guest."

"I would. . . If I had any clue as to just what _has _happened here. . ." Michael took in the darkened yard, blinking in disbelief.

"Oh, man. . ." Kagome muttered, rubbing a hand to her temple. "Explain what?"

"OH! Thank God! You're awake," Selene let out an audible sigh of relief, as she dropped to her knees beside Kagome. "Are you ok?"

"InuYasha!" Kagome's breath hitched. Raising to her elbows, she glared at Michael. "You were going to kill him. . ." then she gasped in realization. "Oh Kami! So was I! I couldn't control the power. . ." Her eyes sought out InuYasha. In the darkenss what she found was not what she was looking for. The man laying beside her was a raven haired human, not a silver haired half-demon.

"I told ya," he groaned, "I'm a lot harder to get rid of than that." Rubbing the heels of his hands against his eyes, he blinked them trying to focus. Glancing first to his left to see Michael's knees, then to his right where he could make out Kagome's form. He sniffed deeply at the air, then muttered, "Kuso."

InuYasha rolled roughly to his back, glaring at his clawless fingers, then peered up at three sets of wide eyes gazing intently at him.

"So. . . who won?" He winced, forearm laid against the dull ache behind his eyes.

"I believe. . ." Michael's voice was gentle as he lowered himself to sit beside his former opponent, "the _miko_ was the victor."

"Keh! No shit," InuYasha examined his hands again for signs of bloodstains. "You're all ok, though. . . right?"

"Remarkably fit, all things considered," Michael pronounced. "It seems, however that you have suffered some. . . changes. I think we all have, to be honest." He gazed at his hand again.

Kagome found her voice, finally. "I am so sorry, InuYasha. . . I tried to stop it, I really did. . . what have I done to you?"

"You did what you had to do, koi. You stopped me. . . though a kiss would have been alot nicer," InuYasha grimaced against his throbbing head. "It ain't like it's the first time I've been purified."

"Was that what that was?" Selene asked in awe, looking to Kagome for her answers. "I didn't realize you packed that much of a . . . whallop with your powers."

"So it's not permanent?" Kagome held her breath.

"I fuckin' hope not," InuYasha pulled himself up to a sitting position. "But with the completed jewel. . ." he looked at her pointedly, "your guess is as good as mine."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat.

"You told him?" Michael inquired, almost too nonchalantly.

"No." Kagome gazed in wonder at the now human in front of her, shaking her head, "I didn't."

"She didn't have to," he turned his attention to Michael. "No, that's not why I am here. But you know that's why Kouga has targeted her."

Michael stared at InuYasha for a long moment, then dropped his gaze to blink at the birthmark in his right palm. The void that was no longer there. Raising his eyes, they were met with those of the love of his life. His Selene, who had faced down an honest to God, raging _demon _trying to protect him. His Sango, who had faced countless demons by his side.

Kagome watched as her friend's expression went from horror, to fear, to awe, then settle on one of peaceful acceptance. It had taken provoking InuYasha nearly to the point of no return to finally reach Mikey. Perhaps this is what InuYasha had planned, had hoped for all along.

"So, bouzu. . . You ready to listen to me now?" InuYasha queried.

"Don't call me that," Michael replied meeting InuYasha's brown eyed gaze levelly. "Call me. . . " he stood and reached down to take InuYasha's forearm, assisting him up with low grunt, "Call me. . . Miroku."

_oo0O0oo_


	42. Chapter Forty One

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Inugami, they belong to Rumiko-san... I do however own an overactive imagination...

_A/N : Special thanks to Moomanfl and SacredSagitarius for their input and BETA work. The challenges that these two set for me can only make it all so much better! And I thank you readers for your reviews! You have been too kind to this novice storyteller._

_Now on with the story..._

Finding Kagome

Chapter 41

It was darker outside than Michael had any conscious memory of seeing while still within the confines of a city. Street lamps in all directions were out, even the ever present halo over the denser heart of the city had been quashed for the last hour. Could it be that Kagome's power had caused this?

He stood at the large living room window gazing at the shadowed world beyond, a bit blearily thanks to the swelling around his left eye. Low, flickering lights danced in the neighbors' windows, apparently from emergency candles and safety lamps. The deeply blanketing blackness that had engulfed the street held an eerie quality, yet somehow he found quite it appropriate. It mirrored the preternatural darkness he felt in his heart.

It was as if he had been possessed by another being, with his overwhelming need to defend his territory against the insurgent hanyou. And he had to be honest about it, he had included Kagome as a major part of that 'territory'. That, coupled with the need to protect some object that a week ago he hadn't even known to exist, had awakened a side of himself that he had not ever known was there. All that introspection during their visit to the retreat had been useless when it came right down to it. He couldn't help but wonder if it hadn't somehow spearheaded the change in his attitude. His motivation had simply been to protect what he saw as his. The cold reality was, none of it was his. Yet somehow he had become so obsessive that he could only see an all encompassing threat. He had done nothing but add more chaos to an already confusing and frightening situation. He had put _everyone_ in danger.

It was as if being in such close proximity to the Shikon no Tama had been turning him into some kind of monster. A monster every bit as frightening to Michael as the beast that InuYasha had ultimately become. At least to himself. Reflecting on his behavior for the last 48 hours, he was hard pressed to honestly justify it. Any of it.

Not now.

The transformation of the hanyou had been _his responsibility; _exacerbated by his underhanded plotting, his need to be the one in control; ultimately caused by his refusal to concede a simple match, orchestrated by InuYasha to be fair, in order for the hanyou to redeem honor. Honor stolen by Michael's own hateful domineering attitude. _He was responsible._

He had never been a control freak before. Where had that come from? Was it a cop-out to think that the Shikon no Tama played a part in it? That it might actually have some kind of influence on the minds and hearts of those near it? But, wasn't Kagome supposed to be keeping it pure? Or was it that she was immune to it's insidiousness _because_ of her own purity?

Dismissing that line of thinking as flawed, simply because if it truly were the case, then surely Selene would have demonstrated her own hidden, darker tendencies as well. The evidence for that was right in front of his face. Selene had not changed. But he certainly had. Which brought him back to the guilty realization that it couldn't possibly have been the Jewel. It had been his own doing. He'd had no help.

Michael was equally baffled and amazed that he was still allowed to remain in this house. Looking back over the last two days, the worst Selene had done was make him sleep on the sofa. Why she hadn't thrown him out on his ass was a complete mystery.

"You should let Kagome take a look at you," Selene whispered, interrupting his thoughts. She quietly wrapped her arms around his waist, then arched around him to wince at the sight of the shiner on his left eye.

"I'm ok," he muttered, though in truth he hurt like a son-of-bitch. "She's busy with InuYasha."

"She thinks you're avoiding her. She just wants to help," Selene hugged a little tighter, and a low moan escaped Michael involuntarily. "It's bad, isn't it?"

"No more than I deserve, I'm still standing," he wrapped his good arm around her, cautiously pressing his cheek lightly against her hair. "I realized something rather profound tonight. I realized just how truly blessed I am."

"To still be sucking air?" Selene grinned into his shoulder. "Damn right, monk."

"No, actually. . ." he kissed her forehead, then took in a deep breath as he returned his gaze out the window. "I'm grateful for that, don't get me wrong. We both would have been Demon Puppy Chow if Kagome hadn't stepped in. No doubt about it."

"Then what?" He could feel her watching him, and focused on her reflection in the window. For a moment, it wasn't Selene he saw in the window. He knew that woman, and welcomed the vision like a homecoming. It was Sango.

"The curse . . . it's gone . . ." he stated simply, with a tone of wonder. Hissing low against the pain, he lifted his arm to inspect his palm. "It's gone, utterly and completely. . . and I have you, right here with me."

"You didn't look too happy about it being gone a little while ago," Selene mused. "Can you imagine what we all looked like? Hell, even InuYasha was ducking for cover."

"Well, he _was_ the one I intended to eradicate, after all. . ." Michael frowned and returned his gaze to the window. He spoke softly, a tone of deep regret lacing his words, "I can't believe I was ready to kill him."

Selene pulled against him, contemplating his pained expression in the reflection in the window. Their own candlelight flickered behind them lending a surrealistic air to the scene. Michael had somehow become . . . not Michael anymore. But he wasn't really Miroku either. Maybe there was some kind of divine purpose for people to not readily remember their past incarnations. But at that moment in time, she felt only a sense of completeness in the knowing, and it shone in her eyes.

"If you won't let Kagome look at you, at least let me make a sling for that arm," she murmured, not wanting to disturb the silence. "And maybe some ice for your eye," she reached up and touched the bruising on Michael's cheek. "It's going to look bad for your meeting tomorrow ."

"Alright, Sango, my love." He smiled warmly, this woman was no less than a saint. He had a lot of making up to do, that's for certain."How about a beer, too? Unless you're hiding something a bit harder that I don't know about. I could use a drink right now."

"Sure, monk." She squeezed his good arm, then kissed his cheek lightly. "I'll be right back." And she left him to his internal contemplations to gather her first aid supplies.

_o0o_

InuYasha sat on the edge of the bed, a foot turned up, jerking reflexively away from Kagome's ministrations as she picked at it with tweezers.

"Oi wench! Enough already!"

"I have to get all the glass out. Will you just be still?" She shot back, grabbing at his foot and readjusting the flashlight. "I forgot those bulbs shattered, I should have warned you about the glass," she added guiltily from her knees as she took the light and angled it in different directions.

"Feh, like I'd let _you _carry me," he snorted at the thought. "It's no big deal."

"It is to me," Kagome still held his foot, but had stopped her picking, the tweezers poised inches from their mark. Not moving, she stared at the thick callus which had prevented any more serious injury than he had suffered. InuYasha crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her, wondering what it was she found so fascinating about the bottom of his foot.

"What's the fuckin' hold up? Just get it over with!" He groused. She clicked off the flashlight, leaving only a single cinnamon scented pillar to light the room.

"Tell me something, InuYasha . . ." she asked simply, "How did you know?" She sat back on her calves, looking up to search his scowling face.

Assuming she was finished, he dropped his foot, "about what?"

Kagome slipped the tweezers back into their case, then reached down into her turtleneck collar to pull the chain. Drawing out the Shikon no Tama, it radiated more light in the room than the candle provided, with pink and white energy swirling in on itself within.

"This . . ." She palmed the Jewel in front of her so he could see it. "Can you sense it? Is that how you knew?"

On first viewing the glowing sphere, InuYasha leaned forward, eyes wide with awe, then they narrowed as he pressed his lips into a thin line. Nothing but pain and misery could come of this. He had come seeking the life that he and Kagome had been denied only to find a continuation of their obligation. He had accepted that the duty was their's to share long ago, even welcomed it with time, as long as it meant that Kagome would be with him. He had truly hoped to make a normal life for them now. The stark reality of the Jewel she held so carefully before him confirmed that would not be so.

"If you mean, can I feel it. . . or smell it . . . No." He spoke softly, pulling back from the relic warily, frowning. "You're the only one of us who could do that . . . that's why we had to work together gathering the kakera."

"So . . ." Kagome studied the orb for a several seconds, then met his dark eyes questioning, "how?"

InuYasha closed his eyes a briefly and took in a deep breath. Drawing his feet up to sit cross legged on the bed, he considered how it was that he knew. It hadn't been any one thing, but a combination of many things that brought him to his conclusion, his realization that this was _the thing_ everyone was trying to hide from him. He knew it had to be something big. He had truly hoped that she would confide in him, after watching her follow the compulsion to heal that woman on the pier. But as usual, he'd handled it all wrong and she had gotten angry with him instead.

But, he knew her. 500 years ago, he had watched as she grew in both strength and power with each new shard they found. It had been a gradual thing, then. The times she lost them, she had felt the loss deeply. Now she was faced with the full on power of the Jewel without any possible preparation. No training. To anyone that _really _knew her, it would be obvious. Maybe she didn't really trust that he knew her. Or perhaps she doubted his sincerity. Either way, actually seeing the damn thing in front of him did nothing for his mood.

"I'm not fuckin' stupid, you know." He folded his arms across his bare chest stubbornly, as Kagome opened her mouth to protest. Not wanting to argue the point, he raised a hand and looked away, "Save it."

"InuYasha . . ." her voice soft, she sat next to him and took his raised hand into hers. The warmth of her fingers closing over his own threatened to ruin his resolve to be surly. Touching his chin, she urged him to look at her. "How did you know?"

Meeting her eyes, he worked the words in his mind before he spoke. Suddenly his biggest concern became that he would make her angry again, and they would have a repeat of the struggle they'd had earlier in the evening. It was so difficult to control the onslaught of emotions in his human form. Her eyes, were like deep pools he would much rather swim in, his mind muddled as he struggled between thinking and the need to drink her in. She wanted an answer.

"That's one of the reasons I got so pissed about the thing with that reporter," at his response she lowered her hand from his face, and he broke the eye contact to glare down at his feet. Now was not the time to lose himself in the craving her close proximity inspired.

Hands on his thighs, elbows out, and a scowl on his face to cover the weakness he felt so acutely, he knew he must resemble a stubborn bulldog. In reality he was bracing himself against her fury. He didn't know any nice way to say what had to be said.

"You've got way too damn much power . . . to not know how to control it any better than you do . . ." he chanced a sideways glance at her, still maintaining his scowl. "That meant _something_ had to be amplifying it."

Kagome's countenance fell as she absorbed his criticism. Her eyes traced the physical changes, the result of her uncontrolled reaction to his transformation. Gliding over his hands, to his eyes, she ran her fingers through his dark hair. InuYasha watched as gaze lingered on the top of his head, her expression sad.

_Keh! She misses the ears. Go figure._

"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking down at her own hands. "I didn't mean . . . didn't want . . ." She sniffed, and looked up into the depths of his dark eyes, her own brimming with unshed tears.

"Kuso . . ." he hissed under his breath, his eyes widening. He had been bracing for her anger, and instead she was assaulting him with her regret. _There she goes again, me and my big mouth._ Did she really have to. . . cry?

Murmuring, "Shut up, wench," he reached and pulled her against him, arms tightening around her. "I'm not mad at you, I know you only did what you had to." He kissed her hair, wishing he could truly pull on her scent, then thought better of it with the memory of the scent of her tears. "I'm just glad I didn't . . ." but he couldn't finish the sentence as he shuddered at the thought of the death and destruction that had been avoided.

He remembered the fight, he remembered Mike tossing the stick, and how much it pissed him off. He remembered hitting him in the face, hard. Then things got fuzzy. He had known that he turned because of the miserable head throb when he woke up. Somewhere in there, he remembered talking to Kagome. Dream talk. But that was an advanced skill, one that he and her predecessor had worked on for many years, and still had never perfected. But they hadn't had a completed Shikon in their possession at the time.

"How long have you had it, Koi?" he asked, fingering the chain.

"Just a week," she responded in a tiny voice, sniffing..

"Only a week?" he leaned back to look at her. "How did you come by it? Did someone find it and give it to you?"

"No."

Kagome looked at him for a long moment, her brow furrowed slightly as though she were considering something. Slowly she pulled away, and stood up in front of him. InuYasha cocked his head in question as her hands dropped, and she shyly began to unfasten her jeans. Once unbuttoned she lowered them just enough to expose a small fine pink scar on her abdomen.

"Kami-sama . . ." InuYasha whispered, dropping his feet to the floor and leaning forward for a better look.

"I went to the hospital, and they did a scan and found it. Right after I almost wrecked on the way to Momma's that Saturday," she informed him in a near whisper. "When I almost hit you."

Reaching for her, InuYasha pulled her closer so that she stood between his knees, then traced the scar with a finger. It amazed him that once again the damned thing had manifested inside her body. The line was so small, so fine, in time it would probably disappear entirely. So very different than the the jagged scar left by the centipede. Leaning close, he gently pressed his lips against it, to hear her suck in her breath and feel her stiffen slightly. Tiny bumps formed on the delicate flesh of her belly, which he found amusing. With a mischievous grin, he blew lightly across her stomach and she shuddered, then giggled nervously.

"C'mere," he whispered, pulling her to sit on his lap facing him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as though it were familiar and expected, and he held her as close as humanly possible. "We're in this together, you know."

"I kept asking myself, why now?" she murmured in his ear. "Why me?"

"I'm here now. Maybe that's why," he brushed his lips against the warm softness of her neck.

So, it had shown up at nearly the same time as he had. No wonder the monk had questioned his motives. No wonder she hadn't told him right away. He could understand now why they hadn't trusted him. He needed her to trust him, to feel safe with him.

"Kagome . . . I came here to find you. That's the _only_ reason. The Shikon no Tama was history to me . . . nothing more." He pulled away enough to read her expression. "It's important that you know that." Relief washed over him when he met her sparkling eyes and gentle smile.

"I believe you," she replied, then focused her gaze on his lips.

Taking that as his cue, InuYasha feathered his fingers over her brow and then her cheeks, slowly drawing her into a gentle kiss. Overwhelmed with emotion, he tightened his encircling hold on her. The thought passed through his mind that if he could, he would draw her right into his own body. It was that badly that he hungered for her. It was that much that he needed her.

Breaking the kiss, Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled him. "The legends tell of a temperamental, silver haired hanyou with a big sword. There's nothing about a cranky black haired human."

"Keh. Figures."

"Does it . . . hurt?" she asked almost timidly as she traced his ear with her finger, sending shivers through him.

"No, it doesn't hurt. It's just an annoyance," he pulled back to look at her face, and noted that she looked utterly exhausted. "It'll pass, always does." Though spoken to comfort her, he desperately hoped he was telling the truth. It was uncharted territory. Sure, he'd been purified before, but with this level of power. . . truth be told, he wasn't so certain. "It's part of being hanyou . . . gotta deal with this once in a while. I feel . . . weak. . . when I'm like this. I can't hear so good, I feel like my nose is blocked, my eyes aren't as sharp. There's a word for it. . ."

"Vulnerable?" Kagome offered, twisting one of his black tresses in her fingers.

"Yeah, that's it. I _really_ don't like feeling that way," InuYasha sighed.

Pulling back to watch as she fingered the rosary, he noted that she had an odd expression on her face. She was most definitely exhausted, but something was on her mind. Contemplating what it, might be he laid his head on her shoulder.

"What you thinkin' about?" he asked in a near whisper, hoping to mask his apprehension.

"Uh? Oh . . . nothing." Something in her tone told him she wasn't telling the truth, but he let it slide when she switched to running a finger over the shell of his ear, sending shivers through his whole being. Pulling her close he began to worry about how he was going to keep her safe while stuck indefinitely in 'human mode'. He wasn't even sure she fully accepted him in his human form. What if it didn't pass. What if she decided to not marry him, after all. He felt a suffocating swelling in his chest at the thought that she might change her mind. Should he try to talk to her about it? Or should he wait, in hopes that it would pass?

"You have grass in your hair," Kagome whispered before she nipped at his earlobe and he jumped. Tilting his head to look at her sleepy expression, he couldn't help but smile.

"I probably should go wash. You need sleep." He reached back and pulled the covers, then urged her to put her head on the nearest pillow. Drawing the blanket over her, he watched as she rubbed her nose into the pillow he had used the night before. Even though she didn't realize it, she was demonstrating her acceptance of his scent, by mixing it with her own. She really was his. At least his hanyou side. "I want you to think about staying at the compound, at least until this shit passes. I can't command Tetsusaiga when I'm like this, its just safer there."

"Will you be with me?" she asked sleepily.

"Always, Koi," he promised.

"What about work?" she started to sit up, and he gently pushed her back to the pillow.

"I'll take you, or maybe Sesshoumaru will let us use a car . . . The jackass has a barn full of 'em," as he spoke, he got up and went to pull his hinezumi from the dresser. Crossing back, he crouched by the bed to find that she was already breathing steadily. "Just think about it."

He ran his fingers through her bangs and placed a light kiss on her forehead before picking up his phone from the bed stand. He narrowed his eyes on the rather large molded wireless ear phone. The damn thing wouldn't fit right, and he knew it. He watched Kagome for a minute longer, when it struck him that she had just kissed him and played with his ear. She made it pretty clear she wanted him with her at the compound. Maybe she wouldn't change her mind.

Glancing at the dancing flame of the candle, he looked down to see the flashlight on the floor. That would provide enough light for what he needed.

Closing the door quietly behind him, he made for the bathroom and the privacy to make his call to his brother. He was certain he was going to have hell to pay, having waited so long. Swearing softly at the wrenching in the pit of his stomach at the thought, he pressed a small button on the side of the phone and opposing pieces slid out into place, like a standard cell phone.

He could just barely hear the soft murmurs of Miroku and Sango in the living room. He would need to talk with them, too. Try to explain to them what had happened. He hadn't wanted to become a threat to them, but the final outcome had been Miroku's acceptance. And that had been the goal, after all. Perhaps their trust would follow, in time.

88888888888888

Ginta watched as Kouga glared at him rubbing his fist. Rising slowly from the planks of the deck outside Miranda's home, he was proud of the fact that he hadn't batted an eye when the enraged prince decked him. Sitting up, he tested his jaw then rolled out the molars that Kouga had knocked out this time. Finding his feet, he refused to meet Kouga's eyes before he spat them out over the side of the deck.

"I thought . . ." Ginta glared at the flickering torchlight on the sand as he searched for the right words, his stomach clenched and the sharp taste of his own blood in his mouth.. Of course Kouga assumed the worst, he always did. It was to be expected.

"Since when do you fuckin' think? I told you to keep an eye on her, idiot! Not pull her into your fucking LAP!" Kouga growled with his hands fisted, ready to strike again.

Kouga had returned after several hours absence to find both he and Hojo all hunched together with Miranda in front of the monitor of her computer. "Cuddled up like fucking pack mates" was the phrase he had used. Of course, he'd had no warning. He couldn't possibly have known that, for all intent, that's exactly what they had become. He had been absent when Hojo was bonded. He hadn't witnessed Ginta's pledge to Miranda.

It had to have looked especially bad, since Ginta had never been invited into the house before. He supposed the sight of two males in such close proximity to his mate just simply caught Kouga off guard. Not stopping to hear any of their discussion, not noting what they had actually been doing, refusing to acknowledge any attempted explanation, his mind had obviously snapped and he literally dragged Ginta by the collar of his tunic out the door.

"It's not like that, Kouga . . ." Ginta turned to face his accuser, bracing his back against the rail. "Hojo is doing what you told him to, we were just helping. That's all . . . nothing more." He rubbed the damaged side of his face and finally met his leaders piercing gaze.

"I told him to go_ home _and do that shit. What the Hell is he doing here?" Kouga's attention focused on the healing injury to Ginta's right arm.

"He needed more information, and something about a lay-out," Ginta turned away and leaned against the rail, tucking his arms beneath him as he looked out at the surf. He didn't like the look on Kouga's face, or the way he was examining him. His instincts were warning him to flee. Somehow he knew he was in for it, no matter what he said. "You know I don't understand all that techno crap . . . I told them about the Wendigo legends and shit. He didn't know our kind have just as much history here as they do back home." Searching for a change of subject, he glanced sideways at Kouga, "So . . . what happened?"

"I think I'm the one who should be asking that question. The fucking Wendigo aren't of interest to me right now," Kouga muttered, moving to yank Ginta's arm out from under him. "But this shit _is_ . . .What's the meaning of this?" he demanded, glaring at the half healed gash.

"Oh . . . that? A follow through?" Ginta murmured with a shrug, pulling back his arm protectively. "Just . . . covering your ass, boss."

"_My _ass doesn't need covering!" Kouga leaned back and on a quick inspection through the glass door, his suspicions were apparently confirmed. Hojo had a correlating bandage on his right arm. Ginta cringed as he felt Kouga's Youki start to burn. "You bonded him? Without consulting me?" Blue eyes flashed and shoulders squared, Kouga's face reddened with anger.

"It was the right thing to do, Kouga," Ginta stated plainly, willing his voice to remain steady. He'd been certain that it had been what Kouga wanted. "You've been busy, so I took care of it for you."

"Fucking IDIOT!" Kouga snarled, smacking the butt of his hand against Ginta's forehead, knocking him against the rail. "You have _no clue_, do you? I decide! ME!"

The breeze tossed strands of Kouga's hair as Ginta rubbed the back of his head, chancing a hooded study his leader's angry features. He was always like this after a meeting with those bastards. Short tempered, ready for the fight he'd had to avoid with them in order to maintain the alliance. Gods, but he even stunk like their hideout, stale booze and urine, laced with an undertone of decay. This pent up and irritable, he knew Kouga's meeting hadn't ended anything.

Ginta's eyes narrowed, his disappointment evident. "You didn't break the alliance, did you . . ."

"Don't change the subject!" Kouga spat back at him, then pointed at the door. "That ningen in there . . . I have plans for him, damnit! And replacing Hakkaku isn't one of them!"

The mention of his brother's name was an unexpected blow. It stung worse than fists or feet, and it hit far too low and too deep to have been in error. Ginta's gut wrenched, as he reactively drew an arm up in front of his face. Kouga couldn't possibly believe that he was trying to replace the irreplaceable. But he had said it and there was no taking it back. Something inside Ginta twisted, wound painfully tight. His eyes grew wide and he raised his head. Straightening his stance to one of defiance, he glared at his leader.

"Hakkaku is dead, thanks to Ayame and her ambitions . . . thanks to those . . . those bastards she recruited," he snarled angrily. "There will _never _be another Hakkaku." Standing proudly, he let this sink into Kouga's addled mind. "But Hojo. . . he _is_ my brother now. It's done. And Miranda is now our First Mother. _YOU _saw to that. But, you never even fucking told her!"

Ginta knew fully well his criticisms would not go unpunished. He didn't care anymore. Someone had to tell Kouga the truth. His leader's eyes narrowed on him, then amazingly, he looked away.

"I did tell her," he muttered harshly under his breath. "She didn't understand."

"You should have _made _her understand, Kouga. I fucking had to _explain it_ to her before she would accept my pledge." Ginta scowled, saying the next words before he had fully thought them out. "You chased after Ayame's dreams for so long, you've forgotten your own," he snarled with disgust.

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" Kouga growled, turning to face his unexpected accuser.

"You _have_ forgotten, haven't you? It was YOU who changed the tribe's direction, after meeting Kagome . . . I haven't forgotten, want me to refresh your memory?" Ginta pressed, feeling that knot inside give way to a surge of adrenaline. It was time. Long past time, for someone to stand up for what was right.

"Go to hell, Ginta." Kouga's jaw flexed as he grit his teeth.

Observing the reaction, Ginta knew he had stricken a raw nerve. Evidently Kouga still had deep feelings for their adopted sister, feelings that he wanted to deny. The girl they had been seeking, the one foretold who would bring the Shikon with her, _was _Kagome reborn. He hadn't seen her, but Kouga had, and said she had memories. Ginta had wondered if she might remember him too.

He had felt a terrible sense of guilt after hearing that piece of news, knowing that he had been present when Diego, Raoul, and Sam had torn up the girl's apartment. Supposedly he had been supervising, but that lot was impervious to any supervision. They had taken great care to leave nothing unbroken.

And the scariest part of it all, was that he had worked with them for so long he had begun to accept their deviances as normal. Being around Miranda and Hojo had reminded him how their tribe was supposed to be different. The Ookami way was not supposed to be savage and uncontrolled. That was for children. And yes, when they were children they had been savage to the extreme. Always warring. Feeding on anything and anyone they could overpower.

Ayame had lured them all back to that, with promises of glory and Youkai domination. Lured them into a neck deep pool of disdain from their own kind. Sesshoumaru had made that abundantly clear, and Ayame had paid dearly for her wickedness. Even after having claimed Miranda, Kouga seemed to be stuck on the same path. He had made up this 'busy work' to keep her and Hojo occupied, but after spending hours with them, Ginta was beginning to believe.

"You know, Kouga . . . The way I see it, Sesshoumaru did _us all_ a favor. . . and you're too fucking blind to see it," Ginta spoke the words slowly, baiting his misguided old friend.

It worked.

Enraged, Kouga attacked with a head butt, pushing him across the span of the deck , through a splintering rail into the dirt of the garden beyond. Landing on the ground with Kouga on top of him, he saw the raised fist and narrowly dodged the pounding, not missing the surprise on the ookami's face as his fist created a small crater in the soft dirt. Simultaneously he threw an uppercut to Kouga's jaw, and as the prince jerked back from the force, rolled out from under him springing to his feet.

"DAMN! That felt _really_ good!" Ginta flashed a dimpled grin as he flexed his hand. "I've been eating your dust for centuries, Kouga. Isn't it about time you stopped running long enough to see just where it is your going? To listen to what the people around you think?"

Rising to his feet, Kouga growled, "STUPID FUCK! You aren't . . . supposed to. . . THINK!" And he lunged at Ginta, who on seeing it coming, jumped to block the attack with a foot to the chest. Feeling Kouga grab his ankle, he suddenly found himself flipping into the air and away. Hitting the ground with a thud, he slid through the vegetation leaving a defined rut. Shaking off the shock, and a few stray leaves, he rose slowly.

"SOMEONE'S GOT TO, DAMNIT!" Ginta bellowed, then heaved as he found his feet, "You sure as hell aren't . . ."

"Are you challenging me? Is that what this is?" Kouga demanded "If so, your timing really stinks!"

"NO DAMNIT! " Ginta waved his arms, to wipe away the very idea. It _was_ a challenge of sorts, though not for status. It was to challenge his oldest friend to consider alternatives. His fear was that doing this would make Kouga a bitter enemy. There had to be a way to get him to listen, a way without getting himself killed in the process.

Straightening and taking a step forward, he tried to reason.

"What I want is for you to _see_ . . . Miranda and Hojo. . . what they are doing in there, it could really make a difference. Kouga, they are opening the door! Soon Youkai will no longer be the stuff of fairy tales, but acknowledged! You always want to take the short cut, whatever the cost . . . So you manage to steal the Jewel . . . What are your plans for the girl? If she really is Kagome. . ."

"Kagome's DEAD!" Kouga interrupted him tersely. "She's been dead for 500 years. . . The Shikon . . . WILL -- BE -- MINE! That's all there is to it."

Ginta's heart hammered in his chest. He knew he could very well be speaking his piece for the last time, if he wasn't careful. Throwing that punch had not been a good idea.

"Then what?" Ginta asked pointedly, his reasonable tone markedly contrasting from Kouga's roared proclamation.

"Then . . . no more hiding. We take the place that was meant for us," Kouga snarled. "The top of the food chain . . . put those arrogant ningen bureaucrats in their place."

Ginta moved a step closer, palms forward in a gesture of peace. "You don't need the Shikon for that, Kouga."

Reading the stubborn expression on his leaders face, his patience waned, and he waved his arms in exasperation."You're always in such fucking hurry! You don't think shit through! You say 'we', but . . . don't you mean you? It's all about you and what _you_ want. Forget what's best, forget who you hurt in the process . . ."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Sure it will take more time this way, but it can happen . . . It WILL happen! Leave Kagome nee-san out of it." His tone had softened to become one close to pleading.

"That wench is _not_ your goddamn sister, so just . . . SHUT UP!" Kouga raised a hand and turned his face away.

"But . . ." Ginta hesitated, "I don't think you really believe that . . ."

"It's too late, anyway . . . M'noche knows where to find her," Kouga confessed with a rueful smile.

"Gods, Kouga . . ." Ginta gasped. "NO!" Kagome didn't stand a chance against those bastards. He'd seen first hand how ruthless they were. They would as soon kill her as take her hostage.

"It's a win-win situation, really. He gets me the girl and with her the Jewel, _OR . . . _she purifies his ass and he's out of my hair for good. Either way I get . . . something that I want."

Ginta shook his head in disbelief, "How . . . how could you? You stole that one right out of _ Naraku's _play book!"

"You DARE to compare ME to THAT . . . ABOMINATION?" Kouga growled with a raised brow.

The knot in Ginta's stomach had returned with a vengeance. He had felt Kouga slowly slipping away over the years, now it was confirmed. He really didn't know this creature any more. Putting Kagome in _any_ kind of danger would have been unfathomable to the Kouga he had known. This was not the youkai prince that he had grown up with.

"Who's Naraku?" Came a lilting voice from the deck. Miranda stood examining the splintered railing, her face awash with concern. A small gasp escaped as her eyes adjusted enough to see the havoc they had wreaked on her garden.

"Tell me, Kouga," Ginta's words came slowly as he struggled to maintain some semblance of reason. Pointing a shaking finger toward the woman, he asked, "Is she next?".

"Don't be ridiculous, she's my mate!" Kouga retorted. "You're fucking insane." Then he roared at his mate, " Miranda, get your ass BACK IN THE HOUSE . . . NOW!"

Miranda squeaked uncharacteristically at the volume and intensity of Kouga's command, then raising her chin she stood her ground. Hojo approached from behind her, and she waved him back, eyes not leaving the two youkai that were faced off among her cabbages.

"Not until you tell me what's going on here, Kouga!" She responded impatiently. "Aegis, why are you covered in dirt?"

Ginta moved a step forward, warily watching his leader. "It's a simple disagreement, Mother. Nothing for you to be concerned about."

"Who the Hell is Aegis?" Face contorted with confusion, Kouga glared at his mate.

"That would be me," Ginta informed him, drawing his attention away from the woman. His primary concern had shifted to her safety. "Let me tell you just how fucking _insane_ I really am. Tonight I swore my fealty to her. I've sworn to _protect _her, Kouga." Ginta touched the hilt of his katana. "And rest assured, I will do just that . . . Even if it's from _you_."

"You traitorous son-of-a-bitch!" Kouga growled, eliciting a gasp from his mate.

Faster than Ginta could focus, let alone draw his weapon, Kouga reached him and flattened him against the side of the house with a roundhouse kick, followed by a left cross, knocking out more teeth. Ginta spat blood and teeth into the dirt, abstractly pondering how he now had matching gaps on both sides now.

"Kouga!" Screamed Miranda.

"I said GET INSIDE, BITCH!" The enraged demon bellowed before punching Ginta in the gut.

Doubling up with the force of the blow, Ginta fought for air as he considered how he probably shouldn't have pushed Kouga quite so hard. That one punch had definitely been a bad idea.

"Oniisan!" shouted Hojo as he jumped from the deck to run toward them, Ginta's head jerked toward the man. No one had called him that in a very long time.

"Iie, mattei!" Ginta, still bent from the blow, held up a hand to stop him, gasping, "It's not . . . your fight."

Hojo froze where he stood, then fell to his knees, "Please, no!"

"Submit, asshole!" Kouga hissed, grabbing Ginta around the throat, and throwing him to the ground. Raising his fist for yet another blow, he demanded, "Or do you really want to die today?"

"Kouga! Stop it RIGHT NOW!" Miranda demanded, dropping off the deck.

Holding Ginta down with one hand, fist still poised to strike, Kouga looked up at his approaching mate, then snarled, "You don't mind very well, do you?"

"You knew that when you signed on!" She stood with hands on her hips, her hair whipping in the wind. "Now let him go, damnit!"

The fist slammed down, and the world exploded into a bright flash then began to spin. Choking on his own blood, Ginta turned his head to the side, and absently wondered if youkai reincarnate too.

88888888888888

_To be continued..._


	43. Chapter Forty Two

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha, I do own a warped mind . . . and an overactive imagination.

**Finding Kagome**

Chapter 42

Sesshoumaru pulled the handset of the phone away from his ear and gave it a withering glare Casting a sideways glance toward the far end of the study where Kagura bounced a ball for the yapping puppy, he silently hoped it was enough to keep her distracted. Swiveling his high backed desk chair to face the wall away from her, he slowly returned the instrument to his ear.

"So, I was correct in my hypothesis," he murmured, lower than would draw her attention to his conversation. "To be frank . . . it was my hope that this was not the case."

_"You and me both,"_ his brother responded sullenly. _"Look, it's . . . she's just not safe here. I'm sure that mangy bastard knows where to find her. That woman he's with . . . she's Sally's cousin. They know she's staying here. I need . . . I need to bring her with me," _apprehension feathered InuYasha's tone, as if it were a request he feared would not be granted.

Sesshoumaru reflected briefly on how angry he had been when first taking the call. Too much time without word had heightened his agitation to a point of near irrationality. His concern for his brother's welfare had translated to near hostile accusations that responsibilities were being avoided. He had initially insisted vehemently that InuYasha return home forthwith. But with the announcement of this new piece of information, he now realized and fully understood why InuYasha had remained with the miko. His only regret was that his brother had not kept him up to date in the interim.

"This is as much your home as it is mine." Speaking low, he chanced another glance toward his mate and took a deep breath. Her response to this news most assuredly would not be positive, and her reaction to the Jewel's proximity might prove to be a problem. However, she had expressed concerns about Ms. Higurashi's safety earlier, certainly she would understand the need for the girl to be in a more secure environment. On the other hand, InuYasha was as yet unaware that Kagura had taken up permanent residence. Sesshoumaru considered how that news alone could negatively affect his brother's decision to bring the miko home. Not wishing to chance changing his mind, he opted to wait until InuYasha's return to reveal that information. "There is much for us to discuss, little brother."

_"Yeah, no shit."_ There was a resignation to his brothers voice that he was unaccustomed to hearing, in addition to an odd familiarity to the slight reverberation behind it . It sounded as though he were in an empty room devoid of life or ornamentation. Had he hidden away somewhere to make this call?

"I suggest you come. . . _now_." The Demon's tone made it clear that it was not a suggestion, so much as a command. "It would seem that time is of the essence."

Sesshoumaru listened closely during the momentary silence that followed. Now was not the time for InuYasha to get his back up. Something wasn't right. Something beyond confirmation of his suspicions regarding the Shikon no Tama.

_"She's asleep right now,"_ there was an unfamiliar guardedness in InuYasha's tone._ "I don't want her to get sick, it's been a rough day. A rough couple of days."_ The Demon strongly suspected that something had happened that the hanyou was hesitant to report. Perhaps even more than one 'something'.

"Then a car will be sent. You can retrieve the Ducati later." Sesshoumaru announced decisively.

_"No . . . Don't."_ InuYasha answered too quickly. He seemed adamant about not returning immediately, and this made no sense. The Demon could not understand why there would be any delay. If there was to be a confrontation of some kind, better that it be on their own grounds than in the midst of a mortal neighborhood. Unless there was something InuYasha was hiding. The Demon's golden eyes narrowed.

"What has happened?" Sesshoumaru demanded. "What's wrong with you?"

_"Did they deliver the puppy?"_ InuYasha inquired entirely too brightly. _"He's a surprise for Kagome. She fell in love with him, and I thought he'd be a . . ."_

"You didn't answer my question," Sesshoumaru interrupted abruptly, then quietly sighed and rolled his eyes. They landed on Kagura and the fuzz ball she was now holding as she watched him. "Yes the dog is here. You owe me, halfbreed. The little beast befouled my favorite carpet."

_"The merchant said that his papers should arrive in a couple of weeks. I didn't know dogs had to have documentation too."_ Sesshoumaru blinked at his brothers sudden penchant for chatter. _"I think I got everything he's gonna need. I had him sent there 'cuz security is better . . ."_ then he added in a whisper, _"I want Kagome safe."_ Jumping suddenly back to his former brightness, he went on, _"He's gonna get big, they said. He'll be strong too, comes from a good line. There should be a box of some food they said was really good for pups."_ His brother was being entirely too talkative and saying nothing. The nuance of his voice was completely devoid of its usual gruffness, almost gentle. Unnervingly so. That tone of offhanded lightness while talking about the little beast rang completely false. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes.

"So, what are you _not_ telling me, halfbreed?" he nearly growled, shaking his head at Kagura's beckoning hand. He had failed in his attempt at discretion. He should have sent her out of the room on some invented errand. She now stood opposite him at his desk, animatedly gesturing that he tell her all, which was an additional annoyance. Cradling the phone against his opposite shoulder, he raised a finger to his mouth, urging her to be quiet. "I get the distinct impression that something is very wrong."

_"Keh . . . You want a fuckin' list?"_ A hint of the usual attitude surfaced. Perhaps a visual would give him some clue as to what was it was that InuYasha was leaving unsaid.

"Switch to video," he commanded, and reaching to power up his monitor. Kagura moved around for a better view, mouthing 'what happened?'. The Demon only shook his head, eyes flashing in agitation.

_"No,"_ answering again too quickly, InuYasha then paused a moment. _"The 'lectric is off here. Too dark."_

Sesshoumaru heard this for exactly what it was, another evasion. Something had occurred and InuYasha did not want wish to go into detail, nor did he wish to be seen. He wasn't aware of any power outages, and the Demon, true to his nature, wrestled with a list of possibilities. One thing was for certain, his brother was uncharacteristically concerned about his ability to defend the miko at their current location. This was confusing, as he had always been confident in his abilities in the past, even to the point of arrogance. Also he didn't appear to trust in the privacy of his environment. Worst of all, his refusal to go into any more detail demonstrated a lack of trust in his only family.

Rising from his seat, Sesshoumaru went to the south window and was surprised to note that a far segment of the city did appear to be experiencing a blackout. So there was truth behind the evasion. However, this did little to appease his suspicions that something of significance had occurred, and he was intentionally being left in the dark about it. Resigning himself to the fact that he would have to wait until InuYasha returned to get the full report, he abandoned his tactic of interrogation over the phone, and began pressing harder for his brother's return.

"I will expect you shortly, halfbreed. It grows late. Your team will be arriving in the morning. Does not school return to session tomorrow? She will need to report to work, ne?" Perhaps a reminder of their obligations and responsibilities would motivate his brother into swifter action.

_"Yeah, she does . . . that's got me worried." _ InuYasha sighed. _"I don't want her workin' right now . . . Not until I know Kouga can't get to her. Or anyone else for that matter. Once word is out, she's gonna be a fuckin' magnet . . ."_

"The necessary calls will be made, then. Surely she has leave coming." He would do this personally. The authority of his name surely would expedite a leave of absence being authorized for her. "It is time to come home, InuYasha. Time for _both of you_ to come home."

Sesshoumaru glanced over to see a twinkle in Kagura's eyes as she nodded her agreement. She had discerned some of the situation from his side of the conversation, and it appeared that she would welcome the miko as kin. He only hoped her alliance would not shift once she knew in certainty about the Shikon.

_"Soon, ok? A couple of hours. In the meantime, do me a favor . . ."_ his brother added. _"I need you to find someone for me . . . that is if he's still alive . . ."_ Sesshoumaru again cradled the handset and reached for a pen. Kagura twisted to better see what he would write, but on his raised brow she scowled then turned with an exasperated huff to take the puppy outside for a walk.

_oo0O0oo_

_"Who's your favorite future Pulitzer Prize winner?"_

"The Pulitzer doesn't have a 'Biggest Butt' category, Ricky. Or . . . don't tell me you're thinking of switching to print?"

_"HAH! I very well might for this one! I found her! At least I think it's her . . . pretty sure anyway. . ."_

Ted switched ears with the phone and rolled his eyes. No sooner than power was back on and he was able to gain entry to his apartment, his phone had started ringing. First it was Bert, letting him know she had stashed the video from this afternoon in 'the usual place', then excitedly rattled on about how she would be late tomorrow because of some rally at the university. That had seemed a little weird, since Bert never mentioned an interest in sports before. Now Ricky was so excited her words were nearly running together. And all he really wanted to do at the moment was eat something. Grabbing a small carton out of the refrigerator, he set it on the counter. Screw good manners, he was going to eat.

"First of all, exactly _who_ are we talking about?" he asked, slicing the protective seal with a distended claw. Sniffing cautiously at the contents, he wrinkled his nose. It wasn't bad yet, but close. Fresh was always better, but hard to come by. Humans had a penchant for freezing their food that he just didn't understand. It robbed half of the flavor, and did something unseemly to the consistency and texture. Piercing a thick sliver with his claw he craned his neck over the counter to avoid dripping on his shirt.

_"That girl, Ted! The one from this afternoon . . . the one that . . . "_ she seemed to get lost for a moment. Jumping back she continued, _"I ran a search, and . . . wait, are you EATING?" _

"Wha? Yeah, um 'ungry," he drawled around the bloody slice of meat, wiping his chin with his sleeve. Glaring at the sleeve he sighed. So much for preserving the shirt.

_"You refused the burger I offered to buy you, and now you're starving? What's better than one of Rosy's bacon cheeseburgers?" _

Ted scowled, then looked at the container. "Um . . . liver and . . . uh, onions." He congratulated himself on remembering to add the 'and onions.'

_"No way you had time to cook around that blackout,"_ she stated entirely too observantly.

"Sure . . ." he fibbed. "Even so, I'm so hungry I could eat it bloody raw," he grinned at his own wit and tipped his head back to slide another dripping slice into his mouth. Nosy bitch.

_"Eck! You just succeeded in killing my appetite . . . for a week! Anyway, try not to slurp it's gross. Listen to this . . . It's from the Chronicle, two weeks ago . . . Donna Bodine, Principal of Bayview Elementary is very proud of their after school program. Yada, yada, yada. . . . Here we go . . . Instructor Kagome Higurashi . . . get that? Inudono called her 'Kagome', remember? . . . has been introducing the students to Japanese language and history through storytelling. Ms. Higurashi borrows from her own family history as Shrine keepers in Japan, and is introducing the students to myths and legends handed down etc, etc, etc. Many student art projects will be on display at the Cultural Fair. Ms. Bodine tells us that a dramatic production is planned as well, harnessing the energy and talents of the students, blah, blah . . . She's composing and choreographing the thing. Multi talented gal . . . " _

"Ok . . . and so . . ." he prompted as he took the now empty container to the faucet and rinsed it out. Nothing worse than the stink of old, coagulated pork blood, it was bad enough he had to resort to store bought meat. First licking the edge of his sleeve then sliding it under the cold water, he hoped he was quick enough to salvage the shirt.

_"She comes from a line of shrine keepers, Ted . . . Religious people. In ancient times, they were the hub of the community. Not just religion but also healers. What they did was considered magic, you know, potions and spells . . . supernatural. What she did today . . . was miraculous. . ." _Ricky's voice drifted off.

"So this chick is some kind of a witch doctor, and . . ." Ted looked out the window at the lights of the city. Only a small area was still experiencing the outage. And damn if Ricky wasn't on a roll again. He'd heard this kind of talk before, usually just before she busted into the office of some government official. He suddenly realized where this was going. "Oh damn, Ricky . . . You aren't going to storm that school are you?"

_"Hey! I have more finesse than that!"_ She retorted. _"But . . . since they've got me on 'Garden Club' duty, why not use it to my advantage, huh?"_

"Explain to me exactly what you mean by that," Ted frowned. The woman was going to cost him his job one of these days. "Garden club?"

_"Look, they want me to do human interest stories, right? Well, I think Miss Higurashi's work with inner city kids is very interesting, and I want to do an interview with her . . . So, come on _Teddy_, you're game right?" _ Ted grimaced at her continued use of that nickname. When Bert said it it was kind of cute, but when RT did there was a note of sarcasm behind it. Though, he had to admit, it was a hell of a lot better than her usual 'Tard'.

Ted took a few seconds to ponder this latest obsession of hers. He had spent a considerable amount of time seriously thinking about what it might mean to pursue more on Caleb Inudono, or his girlfriend for that matter. It was obvious the guy didn't like publicity. The reasons were pretty apparent to Ted. Sure he was curious about him, but knowing how ambitious Ricky was, if she discovered the truth about the guy it could prove disastrous. Exactly the kind of thing that his father had warned him about all those years ago. No, it would be much better to just let the sleeping dog lie. But since Ricky was inherently incapable of doing that, his best hope, his _only_ hope really, was to be there for damage control should she actually stumble onto the truth. Surely the girlfriend would be smart enough avoid the media. Especially if she was provided with enough warning.

_"Hey . . . Did I lose you?"_ Ricky asked, drawing him back to the call.

"I'll go with you, Ricky. But only if you do it right. Make an appointment, no surprises. And if she says no . . . then you've got to _promise me_ that you'll drop it." He spoke more concisely than he knew she was accustomed to hearing from him. Rubbing at the crease formed between his brows, he turned from the window and waited for her answer.

_"But . . ."_

"No 'buts' RT, I mean it," he interrupted leaning against the door frame to his living room. The woman could be exasperating. "Promise me you'll drop the whole thing. I gotta feeling this guy is trouble." His grip tightened against the wood of the door frame and his claws sunk deeply into the drywall. "I _really_ like my job, and being named in a _harassment lawsuit . . . _well, that's not the kind of mark I wanna leave at KGO." Realizing what he had done to the wall, he swore under his breath. He was going to have to patch that one.

"_Ok! Damn, you don't have to swear at me!"_ she shot back, thinking the profanity was aimed at her. He didn't argue the point. _"I'll play by your stupid rules. But that's not the way to get a story, Ted, and you know it. Especially this one."_

She was right of course. Making an appointment would probably destroy her chance of getting to the meat of what ever it was she was trying to reveal. He doubted she even knew what that was. She was running on some obscure, gut level hunch that there was something newsworthy to be found there. What ever that illusive something might be, he was sure that the couple didn't want any publicity.

In fact, he was counting on it.

_oo0O0oo_

Slipping silently from the bathroom, InuYasha paused in the hallway to tilt and shake his head. It never failed. Even in human form he hadn't been immune to water creeping into his ears. Stupid shower. He should have opted for a bath instead, but couldn't figure out how to plug the damn hole the water was draining out of. When he had experimentally pushed a button, suddenly the water had come spraying from the pipe up on the wall, albeit cold. There were more buttons on the panel that he figured had something to do with controlling the water flow and temperature, but damned if he could figure out the shorthand they were written in. No one had shown him, and he'd be damned if he was going to ask at this late point in time. But he'd managed to muddle through with a cold shower . . . and fucking water in his ears again.

On reaching the living room he found Michael and Selene sitting together on the couch, and he winced at the condition the man was in. But as rough as he looked, he was wearing a smile while Selene systematically kissed each of his exposed bruises. She pressed her lips against one, and he'd point to another. The whole scene was just about more than InuYasha could bear without laughing outright. He figured that there were enough marks on the guy, they'd be at it for some time without some kind of interruption, so he cleared his throat to announce his presence, then looked away politely suppressing a smirk.

Granted, he had to admit that there was something to be said about having one's battle wounds tended by a warm female. In fact, if it weren't for his pressing need to talk to Michael, he would have left them to it and joined his own to cuddle her sleeping form for what little time he dared to spare before they had to leave. It was a tempting thought. Reflecting on the feelings as she nipped at his ears and the lingering feel of her lips against his, he again glanced over at the couple on the couch.

'_Baka!_" he silently chastised himself, shoving his arms into his sleeves and glaring at the floor. Now was not the time to be getting all worked up. He had a lifetime ahead with Kagome, a real future this time. He would make it happen. Somehow. Human or Hanyou, he would find a way to make it happen. Damn the Jewel. Damn Kouga to the seven Hells.

"You boys need to talk . . ." Selene's voice interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up to see her pouring some amber liquid into a small glass. "Not too much, now. I have plans for you later," she murmured to Michael, with a telling grin. "I want you coherent." She kissed the corner of his mouth, and InuYasha watched her leave, with a little more sachet in her sway than he had remembered ever being there before. Maybe some things did change, after all. Raising a brow, he turned to Michael and took a moment to assessed the man's damage.

"You look like shit," delivering his evaluation, he moved toward the chair.

"Hmph," Michael grunted, then tossed back the drink. Wincing and exhaling rather loudly he looked up, "Is it my imagination? Or . . . are you shorter now?"

"Keh!" InuYasha responded, then dropped into Selene's chair, bringing his feet up to sit cross legged. He wasn't certain whether the man was being sincere or antagonistic with the question, so he decided to just ignore it for the time being. He sure as hell didn't want another verbal sparring match with him. Not tonight..

"Care to join me?" Michael grinned as he leaned forward to pour another shot. "It takes the edge off . . ."

InuYasha shook his head. The stuff was obviously intoxicating, and the last thing he needed was slower reflexes than he already had to deal with in this form. But it was probably good for the monk, it would ease some of the pain he had to be feeling. Shoving his hands in his sleeves, InuYasha looked away and swallowed back the guilt that was edging up on him. He'd done what had to be done. But he'd injured his friend. The closest friend he'd ever had, aside from Kagome. The brother he had always wished for. The stubborn ass. InuYasha glared at the floor.

"Miroku . . ." Michael began, immediately gaining his attention. "He was a holy man, I understand."

"Hai. Daiichi," on seeing Michael's curious expression he explained. "Before anything, Miroku was a Houshi . . . I buried enough bodies beside him to know."

Michael's good eye widened at that proclamation. "Bodies . . ."

InuYasha considered how it was that this man knew of the legends, yet seemed shocked at the idea of there being death. "He considered it his duty to lay the dead to rest. And there was a lot of it to be done. When ever we happened on a destroyed village, I knew we'd be at least a couple of days delayed 'cuz of the burials."

"Whole villages destroyed?" Michael sat back on the couch, his most recently poured drink untouched. "Definitely not the stuff of fairy tales," he muttered with a vacant look.

"Reality's a lot harsher than bedtime stories. It was a dangerous time." Watching Michael's reaction, InuYasha decided it was time to address present realities. "It was one of those villages where we met Kouga the first time. Kagome sensed his shards, and it led us to a village where everyone was dead. Mauled, mangled . . . half eaten."

"My Gods . . . the same guy? Miranda's Kouga?" Michael was aghast, and rightfully so if he had met the Wolf and survived. But he didn't know. He didn't really know what Kouga was capable of. That was exactly what InuYasha had been afraid of. Michael needed to know.

"Same mangy fuck that kidnapped Kagome, then nearly got her killed. The asshole had the nerve to proclaim her his woman after that . . ." InuYasha scowled at the memory. "She was just a scared kid.."

"But I thought . . . " Michael stammered with confusion, then pointed, "But she said . . . You were . . ."

"Oh, yeah . . ." InuYasha confirmed. "Sure . . . _eventually_. Like I said, she was just a kid then."

"So he didn't . . ." Michael swallowed noticeably.

"Nah, I'd have killed him on the spot if he had. I'm sure she would'a let me, too. But he never did stop sniffin' after her. I can't count how many times we went at it, even after I claimed her," InuYasha glared at the floor. This wasn't exactly going where he had planned. "She'd always drop me before I could finish him off. Crazy bitch had some kind of soft spot for the bastard . . . even though she finally did choose me."

"It is my experience, that women are forgiving creatures. Often to their own detriment, sad to say," Michael sighed and reached for his glass, to sip this time. "So you did take her as your mate."

InuYasha watched Michael for a moment. No, the talk wasn't exactly what he had planned, but it was going well so far. That last remark really sounded like something the old Miroku would have said. It was only right that Michael had questions. It was only right that he give him some answers.

"Not exactly, monk. I _married _Kagome," InuYasha frowned. "I didn't mark her . . . that would have been a death sentence . . . for both of us."

"That bad?" The man looked disbelieving.

"That bad. A youkai mark was like a brand, and people of the villages would have scorned her right alongside me, if not try to stone her to death. Youkai would have just attacked without provocation, and definitely without warning. Being married was just . . . easier to hide . . . for Kagome's sake."

"It really_ has _been all about Kagome, for you, hasn't it? Even then." There was a look of enlightenment on Michael's face.

"I was just happy to be able to stay with her." InuYasha sat back in the chair with a wistful smile. "_You_ performed the rites. When you found out that we'd . . . well, you know . . . you insisted on it. Fuck, you even threatened me."

"_I _threatened _YOU_?" Michael was amazed at the revelation. InuYasha was mildly amused by that, after two days of listening to his bluster, and then escalating to actual attacks. Apparently the man was completely unaware of just how lethal he once had been with the combination of his training and highly developed innate abilities.

"Trust me, the tricks you know right now are just beginner shit," InuYasha snorted. "I knew I had to get through to you soon or you really _would_ kick my ass. Permanently."

Michael stared off into space for a moment, then sighed. "She was going to try to find you. Did you know that?"

"Huh?"

"She made a reservation for a flight to Tokyo, I heard her do it. She'd had dreams, really vivid ones, and her mother put it together that she might do it. My job was to try to stop her somehow. She was going try and find you . . . through the well." Michael finished his drink then looked as though he was considering pouring another.

"So she knows about the well . . . Fuck, she wouldn't have lasted a week on her own . . ." InuYasha suppressed a shudder. He'd almost missed her. If he hadn't found her she might have made that jump, and everything could have been lost. Looking over at Michael, his curiosity got the better of him. "How did you stop her?"

"I did what her mother suggested and introduced her to someone I thought she would like," Michael sighed. "You saw him . . . Hojo . . . I had no idea she had already met you."

"That wimpy assed waste of space? You've got to be kidding me," InuYasha cracked his knuckles at the memory. The guy had sworn it wasn't over, but it would be . . . the next time he showed his face around Kagome.

"I think Kouga said something to him," Michael added. "I don't know what, but Miranda was watching them as they talked. Like he was recruiting him somehow . . . she asked me what I was going to do now that I know that Youkai are among us . . . like I had some kind of choice to make."

InuYasha's eyes narrowed as he considered this information. It was obvious that Kouga was after the Jewel, but why would he want to recruit some human to his cause? The fact that he was allowing his tribe to feed on them made it obvious that he saw no value in them. That's why it had been such a shock to hear that he had taken a human female after Ayame's death. He'd broken his vow to Kagome, but yet had taken Miranda and even pupped her, if what they had said was true. Then he had lied to Kagome, telling her 'the hanyou' was dead. He had a mate, why did he care one way or another about who Kagome wanted. None of it made any sense.

Michael stared at him for a moment, then lifted his injured arm to glare at the palm. The mark of where the curse had been. InuYasha found it fascinating that it was even there, like a shadow of the terror Miroku had lived with so very long ago. He hadn't mentioned it, but it had only been two weeks before that final battle that the monk had performed the marriage rites for them. Joining them in a holy tradition, something he openly said he would not allow himself to have until the void was forever closed. But that had been too late.

Michael looked up and blinked as though he were trying to focus. "I'm just glad I couldn't . . . didn't . . ."

InuYasha closed his eyes briefly. After slugging him in the face, he vaguely remembered hearing the shout, and the burning on his chest. After that it all fogged over. Sango screaming at him, Kagome calling to him. Then the craving set in, that horrible need to spill blood.

Looking up at Michael, realization dawned on him. "But . . . You tried, didn't you? For a split second you thought you could stop it . . . stop me."

"I'm ashamed to admit it, but yes," Michael's expression was abysmal. "All I succeeded in doing was making myself look like a fool. It seems I've gotten good at that lately."

"But, Miroku . . ." InuYasha waited until their eyes met, then stated pointedly, "I'm _glad _you tried to."

Michael just stared in astonishment. He probably didn't understand, and that was ok. One day maybe he would. He had acted on instinct and it opened the door that InuYasha had been trying to kick down with reason. 'When reason don't work, let gut instinct cut your path'. Kagome used to call that a Yasha-ism. He wondered what she would call it now.

"You're really going to take her," Michael stated, breaking the silence.

"Don't see as I have any choice. I can't command Tetsusaiga like this," he responded resignedly. "She'll be safer at the compound."

"How long? I mean . . . will we see you?" A hint of fear had crossed his features. He didn't want to lose her. InuYasha didn't want to lose any of them.

"Do you remember when I told you that all I want is my family back?" He asked the man. He could see by his furrowed brow that he didn't understand. "That they had been taken away from me one at a time and how I just want them back?"

He waited as Michael recalled the conversation, finally, with a glance toward the kitchen where it had occurred. He then nodded his head rapidly, face pinched with guilt. InuYasha needed to drive home this point, so he sat forward waiting for the monk to meet his eyes.

"_You_ were the first one I lost. You're an important part of _that family_, monk. It won't be long. Count on it." InuYasha rose from the chair and found Michael had risen from the couch and was reaching out for him with his good arm.

"I don't know how yet . . . but I want to help. I _need _to help," his voice nearly a whisper, Michael look as though he were about to cry.

"You are," InuYasha grasped his arm and pulled him close enough for their shoulders to touch, then whispered, "_You believe me_." They held that position for a long moment. InuYasha felt a sense of relief and gratitude for the return of his old friend. For that sense of kinship that he had missed for so long. He then pushed back, and nodded toward Selene's room, commanding with a smirk, "Now get your ass in there, your woman is waiting for you."

"Oh Hell! You're right!" Shaking himself, Michael quickly made for the bedroom. "What's wrong with me?"

"Trying to knock down fences with your head does that, monk . . ." InuYasha chuckled after him. "Don't worry, it'll pass."

Turning to join Kagome, a familiar tickling sensation against his chest drew his attention. Reaching into his haori, he pulled out the phone and pressed the button, watching with fascination as the ear and mouthpiece slid out. Technology, they called it. It still looked like magic to him..

"Oi, Jackass . . ." he answered before he had it completely to his ear.

_"You are a very difficult man to find . . . InuYasha."_ His grin dropped abruptly. The voice was male but definitely not his brother. And not familiar at all. No one outside this house or the compound used his name. No one. Except . . .

"Who the Hell _is this_?"

_oo0O0oo_

His nostrils flared as he drew in the kaleidoscopic combination of scents around him. Melded together they formed the general aroma of this kind of place. As familiar as the smell of frying chicken in grandma's kitchen, or the subway at rush hour. But, with the onset of his heightened senses he could untangle the various individual odors and categorize them; pine cleaner, antiseptic, a myriad of pungent chemicals, laced with body odor and the metallic tang of blood. He frowned at that. The blood was his brother's and he shuddered at the memory of the event that had drawn it.

Kouga had really done a number on his mate's new Aegis. At first Hojo feared that he was dead. He lay so very still after Kouga finally stopped pummeling him with his fists. Once he had been pounded into submission, albeit via unconsciousness - and Hojo reduced to hysterics - Miranda had taken over. Slapping Hojo to his senses, she had then approached her mate and diverted his attention with nuzzling and whispered promises. Wide eyed, Hojo had been aghast at her behavior until he realized that it was a ploy. The woman had known how to get through to the Prince. And apparently it worked, since the youkai had growled and lifted her into his arms. When Kouga carried her past him, a meaningful glare from her and then to his car made it clear she wanted him to get Ginta the hell out of there. As soon as the couple was out of sight, he had done just that.

Not realizing how heavy his newly adopted brother was, he had struggled to drag him from the garden to the car. While working to maneuver the youkai's limp frame into the passenger seat, Ginta had jerked and gasped like he was surfacing from a too long swim. He'd actually been able to assist Hojo in getting him into the seat, followed by a short period of lucidity before passing out again. It may not have been for long, but the request he made had brought Hojo to a crossroad. He could only hope he was making the right choice.

As he pulled away from the house, Ginta had leaned heavily into his shoulder and whispered, "Kouga's mad . . . Find InuYasha . . . He'll stop the bastards," then promptly passed out again. The only thing that had kept him from landing right in Hojo's lap was the safety harness. First priority had to be getting help for Ginta.

He found it troubling to think that Kouga would send _anyone_ after Kagome but him. Why had he done that, after promising Hojo that she would be his and his alone? This had to have something to do with the Shikon no Tama. He'd kept his promise to Mike and not said a word about it to either Kouga or Miranda. Yet he heard Kouga swear that "The Jewel" would be his. Had that been his plan all along? To take the Shikon from Kagome?

He couldn't understand how the trusted Guardian of the First Mother had suddenly become their Prince's personal punching bag. After watching Kouga beat Ginta senseless without him even once raising a hand in his own defense, Hojo was having serious second thoughts about the esteemed Ookami Prince. Maybe he really was insane, maybe Ginta was right.

In the few hours he had spent with Ginta that evening, he had grown to a new understanding. It was as if some part of his brain that had lain dormant all his life had been awakened. And it had been Ginta who had done that. Kouga had opened the door, sure enough. But Ginta had turned on the lights. He owed him big, and though it would mean turning the protection of the woman he loved over to someone he didn't know, he would do as his Oniisan asked. He would find this InuYasha.

InuYasha. The name was familiar, he didn't like the sound of it. He didn't know why, but it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He struggled to remember where he had heard it before. Someplace recently. Then it dawned on him. That was the name that Sally had used at the mall. The person that Kagome had sounded like when she impatiently demanded they get going. The lover from another lifetime, according to Mike. But, how could that be?

InuYasha. Roughly translated it meant 'dog spirit'. Or Dog - Demon Warrior. Inudono. Another dog. Mr. Dog. Lord Dog. What's with all the damn dogs? '_Inudono is one of them_.' That's what Mike had said just before he had set up wards on the house that night. Demons in the city. The thought had been preposterous to Hojo at first. He had insulted Kagome by laughing at her claims, but he had been wrong. So very wrong. Meeting Kouga had convinced him of just how wrong he really had been.

Suddenly the memory of Caleb Inudono, black jacket and white braids flying, grabbing Kagome out of his arms and calling him a wimp as he carried her away, flashed angrily through Hojo's mind. He glared at Ginta's unconscious form and groaned. Inudono. InuYasha. Of course. It was no wonder that Caleb had been so possessive of Kagome. Caleb must be this InuYasha. But, she had called him 'Caleb', hadn't she? Did she even know who the guy was? Hojo suddenly wished he had that business card that had been delivered with the sake that he hadn't been allowed to drink.

Laptop poised precariously on the edge of the gurney, he pondered the next step in solving the puzzle, the unlisted phone number for one Caleb Inudono. The last person he wanted to talk to. The one who had stolen his girl. The one he had been planning to challenge for said girl. The _only_ one who could save that girls life, according to Ginta.

Shaking his head at the wild turn of events, Hojo jumped to grab the edge of his laptop as Ginta groaned and changed positions. He watched him briefly in hopes he was waking, He'd been unconscious far too long for comfort. Watching the steady rise and fall of his chest for a moment, he then cracked his knuckles and sat back down to begin working his techno-magic; hacking into to the main Triple-D database in hopes of finding something useful.

"Your friend – he a musician?" the nurse asked as she moved to check her patient's vitals, and adjust the IV drip.

"Huh?" Hojo responded stupidly, as he looked up and blinked to focus. "Uh . . . no." He'd been concentrating on the task at hand and had missed the young woman's entrance. Warm sandalwood and Jasmine wafted from her skin as she lifted Ginta's arm and looked at her watch. Hojo's bangs dropped into his eyes as he returned to the search he was conducting. He raked them back and pursed his lips at the screen. He had found a requisition order for a satellite phone for the Junior Vice President of the Division of Internal Security, Caleb Inudono. _Damn, the guy sure advanced fast. He's been back what, a week? Guess it doesn't hurt to know the boss. He's not doing a very good job, though, with the corporate database so easy hack. But, if there's a phone, there's got to be a number._

"I was just wondering. . ." the young woman continued annoyingly, "'cuz that ear job must have cost a fortune." She lowered the arm and reached up to trace one of Ginta's ears. "It's perfect, seamless, no sign of the prosthetic. A real artist did this. I figured he must be in show business to have something like this done."

Hojo froze in mid keystroke. She thought that Ginta's ears were the result of _plastic surgery_. Looking up at the girl, he saw that she was closely inspecting all of Ginta's features with a look of curious fascination. Suddenly, and rather belatedly, Hojo realized that he had made a huge mistake. In his frantic worry about what to do, where to get help, he had driven his Ookami brother directly to a _human _Emergency Room.

_o0o_

"Fuck . . ." Ginta groaned, brushing at his ear. It felt like a fly was crawling on it. "Someone get the number of that semi?" Reaching up to tentatively touch his sore jaw, he opened one eye.

"Welcome back, Mr. Akuba," blinking open the other eye, Ginta sought out the source of the delicately melodic voice. "You were beginning to worry us." A blond with large ice blue eyes, and a mop of shining loose curls was smiling warmly down at him. The brightness of the light behind her reflected off her hair and for a second he would have sworn that she had a halo.

"Kami . . . so I've died after all . . ." he whispered hoarsely. "I must've done somethin' right, 'cuz this has _got_ to be Heaven." On seeing the girl blush prettily, he flashed her a dimpled grin. "Hello Angel." Noting a slight increase in the girl's pulse and respiration, it was then that he realized that this place he was in happened to be full of mortals. _What the Hell?_

"Oniisan! How are you feeling?" Hojo asked nervously, moving his laptop to the chair and standing where Ginta could see him. Ginta's eyes widened, then narrowed, his question answered. And for some odd reason he had thought this kid was smart. He had to get out of here, and fast.

The pretty nurse cleared her throat and picked up her clipboard. "The doctor will be here in a few minutes. He has a couple of questions about your blood workup." Checking an apparatus beside him, she added, "Just rest till then," and patted him gently on the arm before leaving.

Ginta sniffed deeply, drawing in the scent of the female and drifted for a moment. No time for this and he knew it but he just couldn't help himself. Then it hit him, "Blood workup? What the hell?" Rising to sit he scowled at his surroundings, then lifted his left arm to find the IV sticking into it. With a scowl he growled and ripped the offensive thing out , then glared at Hojo.

"You were hurt . . . I just . . . ah, you shouldn't do that . . ." the idiot stammered and pointed.

Ginta shook his head, and hopped off the gurney. His head still hurt, and the light was too bright in this room. Scanning the unfamiliar surroundings, he found what he was looking for. Hastily drawing a blue area curtain closed to block the view from the open doorway, then shoving the wheeled bed out of the way, he began rifling through the drawers and shelves of a low cupboard.

"What are you doing? You aren't supposed to get into that stuff!" Hojo warned.

"Getting the Hell out of here, you moron!" He growled from a crouch, digging into a low drawer. As he spoke he could feel his cheeks flapping against his gums where molars had once been. It would be days before they all grew back. Days he wouldn't have if he didn't move fast.

" Just a second . . . I got a line on InuYasha, you didn't tell me he was one of the Inudonos," Hojo pushed the chair back a bit, out of the way then plopped into it. Perching the laptop on a crossed leg, his refocused on the screen. "Searching the corporate database now for emergency contact numbers . . . found the phone requisition, so there's gotta be a number here for him."

Ginta finally found something useful, pulling out a set of worn blue scrubs. Checking another drawer he found the caps and masks. Frantically he began donning the traditional surgical attire. There wasn't much time. He was certain that Hojo had no idea just how dangerous the situation really was. When youkai were discovered, they disappeared. Having survived the confrontation with Kouga, he really didn't want to end up flayed out in some ningen vivisection project.

"Do that shit LATER!" Ginta hissed, hastily grabbing the IV bottle and hanging it on the raised hook of the gurney. "Get over here, damnit!"

Hojo looked up, a confused brow raised at the ookami. Then recognition brightened his face, and he quickly closed the laptop. "I think I saw that episode!" he exclaimed as he hopped up to climb onto the bed, clutching his laptop by his side.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Ginta growled. As Hojo opened his mouth to explain, he clamped a hand over it, pressing him flat on the mattress. "Nevermind! Just be still . . . you're sick, got it?" At Hojo's wide eyed nod he withdrew his hand and pulled the sheet up over his head. Handing him the tube from the IV, he smoothed the sheet and pressed the Velcro fastening of his mask. The trick here was to get past the desk and out the door without raising suspicion.

Sticking his head out the into the hallway, he studied the staff as they went about their tasks. The nurses station was to the right, as was an exit sign - pointing in the same damn direction. If it weren't for bad luck, he wouldn't have any at all. The Angel was on her tip toes leaning over the counter, rear end thrust out in a delightfully provocative pose, while conspiratorially whispering something to an older, heavy set female. The older woman was looking bemused and shaking her head. The skirt of the Angel's uniform hiked up just a smidgen as she stretched to conceal her mouth with her hand. Ginta swallowed and blinked. It didn't seem to matter which way you looked at her, she was magnificent. Sighing, he backed up and pressed against the wall, taking a stuttered breath.

"What's the hold up?" came a muffled whisper from under the sheet.

"Shhh! Angel face is out there. She'll see us for sure." Ginta chanced another glance to see the girl smooth down her skirt and pickup a clipboard, then turn and walk off in the opposite direction. The elder nurse still chuckling and shaking her head.

"Velma!" the girl called over her shoulder. "Not a word, I mean it!"

"Lips are sealed, babygirl," the woman chuckled, raising a hand. "Ain't my business who's ears you think are pretty," he overheard her mumble as she returned to her paperwork.

On seeing his opening, Ginta cautiously pushed the gurney out of the room. Careful to not move too quickly, he kept his eyes fixed straight forward and followed the arrow on the exit sign. So the Angel had a thing about ears, huh? That must have been what that tickling was. She was touching his ears when he woke up. Interesting.

"Hey Doofus! Surgery is the _other _way," chided the elder nurse as he passed the station. He had to think fast, he didn't want to go the _other _way. He needed to go _this _way.

"Not surgery. Special quarantine," he shot over his shoulder, pointing toward the rear exit. "Transport out to General." Ginta held his breath and kept moving. Every town has a General Hospital, right? Or if not, some nearby one did. Hojo moaned dramatically for emphasis, and Ginta nearly tripped. "What the hell are you doing?" he whispered horsely.

"You said I'm sick, I'm being sick," Hojo whispered in response, then moaned again. Ginta scanned the area to see if the baka had drawn attention to them, and tripped again his foot sliding underneath him. Catching himself by the bed rail, he glared down at the floor. A glistening trail of the saline solution that had dripped from the tube marked the path they had taken.

"Shit!" He reached down and grabbed the end and shoved it under the sheet. "I said hold that and shut up!" he hissed. "We're almost there."

"Damn, you're good . . ." Hojo murmured through the sheet. "I take it, you've done this before."

Ginta ignored the comment as he raced to the automatic glass doors at the end of the next hallway . Slapping the over sized button, the doors hummed opened to a covered driveway. "Where's your car?" he demanded shoving the bed outside and uncovering Hojo's face. Speedily divesting himself of his disguise, he tossed the items on the foot of the gurney then pushed it toward some bushes.

"Over there," finding his feet, Hojo clutched his computer and pointed past the overhang. Ginta nodded and hopped on one foot then the other to yank the remaining scrubs off. Tossing them in the general direction of the gurney, he grabbed Hojo's arm and they took off in the direction he had indicated.

"Hey! I thought you were somebody, but you're really just another deadbeat!" Came a shrill voice from the doorway. Ginta glanced back to see the Angel standing with her hands on her hips, and he froze in his tracks.. "Did you welch out on your plastic surgeon too?"

Ginta watched her for second. There was something about her. Something that told him she was different. Or maybe it was pure animal attraction. He wondered if it was anything like the something that Kouga had seen in Miranda. Even angry, this Angel was a sight to behold, and now she thought him a swindler. He would be damned if he would let her keep thinking that. Just one minute. He could spare that. One minute to argue in his defense, to gaze into those eyes again, to draw in that enticing scent.

"Go get the car," he ordered Hojo gruffly, before he sprinted back to face the Angel's accusations. He knew it was a risk, he shouldn't be wasting the time. Her scent surrounded him, enveloped him as he approached her.

"What is your name, Angel?" He asked reaching for a hand.

"Tina . . . hey, your bruises. . . they're almost gone!" A delicate line formed between her brows as she reached up with her other hand to touch his face.

"There's no plastic surgeon, Tina. I was born like this," he informed her, taking her other hand as it dropped from his face.

"No one heals that fast," she mumbled studying his face.

"I do . . . Believe it Tina . . . look, I have to hurry." They were bathed in unnatural light as Hojo pulled up behind him, and Ginta leaned slightly to see that Hojo was back at the computer. He fought against the urge to just take the girl with them. He didn't want to leave her, but he didn't dare waste any more time.

"Do me a favor . . ." Intensely meeting her eyes, he touched lightly under her chin. "Make it go away . . . I was never here . . . I don't have time to explain, but it's really important."

"But . . . I don't . . ." she stammered at the request. "Who . . . are you?"

"Look, someone is in serious danger, and I have to warn them. Just do this little thing for me?" He held her shoulders for emphasis, then quickly scanned the quiet area. So far she was the only one to see them leaving.

"Bingo! Yeah! Who's the man?" Hojo grinned in triumph. "I got it!" He shouted through the door.

"There's a website, do a search for 'B.E.N.S' . . . read what it says," He released her chin, and backed up to the car. "Then if you still want to know who I am, send a message to the webmaster. Tell him . . . tell him you're 'Ginta's Angel'." He climbed into the vehicle. "Let's go."

"You sound like some kinda superhero . . . like Spiderman! Off to save someone," she called after him.

Hojo gunned the engine and pulled out while Ginta rolled down the window twisting his neck to respond, "NO SPIDERS! I fucking hate spiders . . ." he trailed off as he bounced back into the seat.

"What'd you say to her? She just . . . let us leave . . ." Hojo asked, astounded.

"I told her about the website, and asked her to get rid of the evidence. What the HELL were you THINKING? Where are my damn weapons?"

"I panicked ok? Back there, " Hojo jerked a thumb toward the back seat. "You stopped bleeding but you wouldn't wake up! I didn't know where else to go . . ."

"Doahou . . ." Ginta muttered under his breath, folding his arms across his chest.

It took him a minute of concentration, but Hojo apparently translated Ginta's judgment on him. Ginta grinned slightly when he heard him whispering under his breath.

"Fuck-wit . . . Fuck-wit? HEY! That's totally uncalled for!" Hojo retorted animatedly. "At least I did _something_! I . . . I . . . I could have just . . . left you there, you know!" he stammered.

"You wouldn't!" Aghast at the thought, Ginta turned wide eyes at the driver. "Not your brother, you wouldn't have left your brother behind . . ." then he hesitated, ". . . would you?" Hojo could very well have abandoned him to his fate. But he hadn't.

Hojo swerved into a convenience store parking lot killing the engine.

"No, I couldn't have left you," he sighed resignedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't think. All I knew was you were really hurt and wouldn't wake up. Next time I won't make that mistake, ok?"

"If there's a next time, you won't need to worry about it," Ginta replied glumly. "The next time, he'll kill me. Call InuYasha . . . _now_."

"Right," Hojo swallowed then nodded and fumbled for his phone. Opening the laptop, he found the number and dialed, then took a deep breath as the call connected.

"Please let it not be too late," Ginta whispered, watching Hojo closely. Before speaking, a bewildered expression filtered onto Hojo's face.

"You are a very difficult man to find . . . InuYasha." Pressing the phone against his chest he hissed, "He just called me a_ jackass_!"

"What the hell?" Ginta grabbed for the phone. "Don't we have enough drama without you getting all theatrical? DAMN!"

"But, why'd he called me that . . ." Hojo asked perplexed.

" 'Cuz he's an asshole! He calls everybody names!" Ginta raised the phone to his ear, muttering, "Loyal as hell, but still an asshole."

_"Who the fuck are you, that you think you know me so damn well?"_ InuYasha ground out, suspicious and obviously irritated.

"InuYasha, listen," Ginta began. "Kagome's in serious trouble."

_"Fuckin' liar, she's right here and she's fine."_

"No! You gotta take her away! Someplace she wouldn't normally go . . ."

_"Who the HELL is this?"_

"Never mind that . . . Look, if Kouga finds out about this I'm dead, got it? I can't let him have Oneesan . . . he's crazy."

_"No shit, you just figured that out? Wait . . . Oneesan?" _His tone carried an element of surprise,_ "Hakkaku?" _

Ginta felt his gut twist at the mention of his brother's name, and for a second wondered just what Hakkaku would have thought of all of this. He sure as Hell would approve of anything that interfered with M'noche. One day, Ginta would make both M'noche and Diego pay. He owed that to to his late brother.

"No . . . not Hakkaku," he pressed a palm against his forehead, blinking back the moisture his thoughts inspired. "Just take her away, I couldn't handle it if she got hurt," Ginta pleaded. He heard a rustling on the other side.

_"Kagome . . . Kagome wake up,"_ InuYasha spoke gently, like he was waking a child. _"C'mon Koi, we gotta go . . ."_

"He told them where to find her, so anyplace normal for her is dangerous right now," Ginta spoke quickly, hoping the urgency of the situation was completely clear. "It's been hours since he did it, so you gotta move fast."

_"Get your stuff . . . " _Ginta could hear a sleepy female in the background, and took a shuddered breath, just as InuYasha demanded, _"Who the Hell are these guys? No, Koi . . . over there, don't worry about the damn clothes."_

"You don't know 'em . . . I wish to Hell I didn't," Ginta replied with a scowl, glancing at Hojo's grim expression. "It's ok mattei, we're in time." At that Hojo closed his eyes and nodded crisply.

_"Ginta,"_ came InuYasha's voice.

"Nani?" he responded before he realized what he was doing, then banged his head on the window at his own stupidity. So much for the anonymous warning.

_"Why?"_ InuYasha asked gently, then away from the phone, _"You're jacket's still in the front room, Kagome . . . hurry up, already!"_

"Kouga's lost it . . . he's crossed the line," Ginta responded glumly. " . . . and I'm a dead wolf," he muttered into the window, where he had pressed his forehead.

_"No, I mean why are you warning us?"_ InuYasha persisted.

"Because . . . because I couldn't stand it . . . for her to die again would . . . She's still my pack sister, I don't care what anyone else says."

He waited as he heard shuffling and rustling on the other end. They were on the move, and for that he was relieved. InuYasha had believed him. He and Hojo had succeeded.

_"Ginta . . ." _ came the nearly whispered response, _ "thank you." _It was followed by two loud thumps. _"We're outta here! You guys better leave too!"_

Ginta pressed the endcall button and handed the phone back to Hojo. Perhaps they had saved more than one life tonight.

_oo00O00oo_

_Reviewer Love!_

_Thank you to all who have shared your thoughts, insights and comments!_

_Ffnet_

_MysticGuy16, Lady of the Silent Night, LongLostDream37, Belinda, anterrian_

_Mmorg_

_shippos girl, angelevie, bluezinthos _


	44. Chapter Forty Three

DISCLAIMER:: I don't own anything InuYasha, however I do own an overactive imagination...

_Special thanks to:: _

_SacredSagittarius and Moomanfl _

_for the brainstorming sessions and outstanding beta job._

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter 43

Hugging herself, Tina stood transfixed as she watched the rear lights of the nondescript brown compact rapidly disappear down the hospital drive. The vehicle carried away the most fascinating person she had ever met. Both of the men had a strange ethereal air about them, but the injured one, Ginta, had been no less than . . . captivating. She had a sneaking suspicion that the last thing the guy was concerned about was avoiding a hefty E.R. bill.

'_There's no plastic surgeon, Tina. I was born like this.'_ She tried to suppress an involuntary shudder. DamnNow there was a claim worthy of the annual 'weirdest patient of the year' award.

That escape could not have been the first time for them to do something like that. No, it had to be practiced. But, as quickly as Ginta was healing, she had her doubts that he _ever_ intentionally sought out medical treatment. Just like some superhero. Something out of a comic book. She shook herself slightly. Superheros were fantasy, right? He hadn't had any I.D. when he was brought in and even the name the other guy had given him sounded straight out of some fantasy novel. Fantastic, yes. But the _guy_ was real enough. She could still feel his caressing touch on her skin.

Maybe he was one of those rare people that actually lived 'off the grid' of modern society. She had never understood why someone would want to live that way. Actually choosing to be invisible. What was nagging her was the 'why'. Did he have any idea just what he had asked her to do? Glancing back at the gurney that was left haphazardly tilted off the sidewalk, she concluded that, most likely, he did. He'd asked for her help without offering any explanation. Just 'make it go away'. Like he knew he could trust her. She had barely spoken to him, and he had entrusted her to aid him.

But if she were to be caught doing something like that, actually doing what he asked, it could mean her job. Possibly even her career. Tampering with patient records was . . . well, illegal wasn't a strong enough word. Prohibited, Taboo, verboten, weren't even strong enough. 'Unethical' said it all. Ethics were the governing force in medicine. But was it ethical to force treatment on someone who didn't need it? To save a life, of course it would be. But Ginta didn't look like his life was in immediate danger, at least in those last minutes before he rushed off.

Raising her chin, she cocked her head in consideration. She did have a completely clean slate, professionally. She wondered if the review board might chalk something like that up to naivety. The foolishness of youth. That is . . . _if_ she were to be caught doing something unscrupulous . . . It wasn't like she would be stealing drugs or supplies. She wasn't a thief. But she was quite capable of being sneaky should the need arise.

Her brain went into overdrive, listing all the things that would have be done to 'erase' his visit. She'd seen the chart. Had surreptitiously made herself intimately acquainted with it. He'd been there for several hours, only the C.T. scan results, indicating no serious _recent_ brain trauma had stopped his full admittance. There were questions, though. More questions than answers. The scans weren't . . . normal. She hadn't seen the films, only glanced at the preliminary radiology report. The file was pending, awaiting a full analysis by the resident with a flag for oncology. They suspected the abnormalities could be tumors. The oncologist was based out of the area, so copies would be FedExed to him. But that wouldn't be till morning.

The C.B.C. had disclosed a variety of strange enzymes, and the lab had been completely unable to type him, which was a first as far as she knew. Again she was certain the test results were being held for further analysis. That would mean digging into the hospital database. It was a wonder Dr. Barton hadn't sent him upstairs for at least a 24 hour observational hold.

But, a significant stir had been raised in several departments. She doubted that anyone could completely 'make it go away'. Either the guy had some serious health issues, or he was a mutant. He sure did seem to heal fast. Ok, maybe not as fast as Wolverine. Shaking her head violently to dispel the comic book images, she began walking over to the abandoned equipment.

Maybe those abnormalities in his brain were causing some kind of mania. A delusional episode, where he actually believed he was a super being. Tina's eyes softened and the right side of her mouth quirked up into a lopsided grin. A very attractive, sweet, delusional super being.

But then again . . .

No mania crafted those ears. Delusion couldn't accelerate the healing process.

Picking up the scrubs off the sidewalk and pulling the gurney back to the door she considered the steps a person would have to take, _hypothetically speaking_ of course. First, get the orderly to straighten the examination room, and wipe up that spill in the hallway. All standard procedure anyway. Velma was due for a break soon, and Dr. Barton, who had been attending, would be ending his shift in another half an hour. So charts could pretty easily be 'accidentally' shuffled, possibly even misplaced. It had been a pretty busy night, but things had slowed down the last hour or so. For charts to go missing wasn't unheard of, though rare. So much for the hard copy . . .

She grinned mischievously, letting her imagination run with the idea. Brian in the lab owed her favor, didn't he? She'd found that first edition Spiderman for him last month. And he has a girlfriend in Radiology. Maybe she could snag those films before they got sent out. The Mission Impossible theme began looping in her head, and she openly laughed at herself and how quickly she had fallen into scheming. 'I should be a writer,' she mused inwardly as she slipped the IV bottle and scrubs under the sheet, then pushed the gurney into the door and down the hall. Glancing up she spotted one of the orderlies returning from his meal break.

"Yo! Stan! Could you get that mess over there?"she pointed to the wet trail, noting the smear where her escapee had obviously slipped, "Someone could fall . . . oh, and straighten up 3B for me? Looks like one of those kids went on a rampage in there." She adopted a look of resigned irritation, a test of her ability to act. No kids had been in that examination room. Just a delusional maniac who didn't want to be there in the first place.

"Yeah, sure . . . I'm on it," Stan replied, trotting off for the mop.

Proceeding toward the nurse's station, her thoughts continued on their little vacation from reality. Something about Mr. Ginta Akuba had inspired in her a sense of adventure, something that had most definitely been lacking in her life.

"Hey Velma, aren't you getting hungry?" She asked as she passed the desk, "I can cover for you if you want to go now . . ."

"You sure?" The elder nurse asked. Tina nodded, pushing the gurney against the wall. "How's Mr. Pretty ears?"

"Still in dreamland, but there's R.E.M. So he'll probably wake up soon," She smiled sweetly, not exactly sure why she was doing this. "I'll hold down the fort, go ahead." She nodded toward the cafeteria. Velma tucked her chin and grinned guiltily before grabbing her handbag and heading down the hall.

Tina picked up the phone and dialed, then started thumbing through folders with the current charts. "Hi there, Brian! How's it going? Enjoying Spiderman? . . . Say, aren't you seeing Sue over in Radiology?" She grinned mischievously, pulling an all too familiar chart. Running a thumb over it in an almost affectionate gesture, she slipped it into a bottom drawer for later retrieval. It's terrible how paperwork sometimes gets shuffled on a busy night.

In her head, the Mission Impossible theme continued to play. She really should look up that website the charming Mr. Akuba had mentioned.

8888888888

Selene sat on the edge of her bed and eyed the reports haphazardly scattered on the opposite side. She'd had no time to ask her questions, but perhaps come morning she would be able to. She figured that would be a good enough reason to call in late. Maybe call in for a personal day. After today she sure could use a day off. Glancing at her digital alarm clock, she groaned. Morning was only a couple of hours away.

She could hear the low voices of the men through her closed door, and silently thanked any and all deities, including a few of the Saints from her parochial upbringing, that they were finally talking instead of shouting at one another. It had taken them long enough. She couldn't shake the image of the enraged demon out of her head. Or the the horror of discovering her weapon was missing, the very thing that had been required to effectively fight that demon.

But Kagome somehow had miraculously known how to stop him. It seemed that her best friend had more than one kind of hold on the legendary Dog-boy.

She'd overheard the drone of his voice from the bathroom, as she was pulling out an old pillowcase to make a sling for Michael. She figured it was the long delayed phone call to his brother. Relieved that she hadn't needed to make the call to him herself, she wondered how 'old Seth' was taking the news. Probably not well. InuYasha had said that he had no idea if the changes were permanent or not. That had to be a very frightening thing for him . . . yet he didn't really act any differently. Perhaps a little more surly than before. But he seemed to always be on the surly side. Well, most of the time.

She lingered for a moment on the memory of the singular embrace that she had received from the hanyou. There had been nothing surly about that. It had been comforting. Comfort for childish fears inspired by her equally childish nightmares. Somehow, that simple gesture by a virtual stranger had proffered a legitimacy to the terrors left behind by her dreams. Ok, maybe not so childish. Maybe not exactly nightmares. She had avoided talking about them as much as possible, because she'd simply been unwilling to accept that they could be based on something _other than_ her overactive imagination. There were so many contradictions. The name they were calling her wasn't the only name she remembered. In one of her more vivid dreams, her name had been something sounding very close to 'Annie'. That was what the boy had called her. He had been so sad, as that woman with the fan dragged him away from her. She had again awakened crying and reaching out for him, as if she could possibly pull him back. Just who that boy was still remained a mystery. No one had mentioned him. No one else seemed to 'remember' him.

If her dreams were indeed memories, then that boy had died in the same battle as Miroku. She shuddered at the visual replay of the massively tentacled creature grabbing him up, the way his eyes simply dimmed and went out as something small, dark and ominous was plucked from his back. Just like a toy with it's battery abruptly yanked out, dangling as limply as a marionette with it's strings cut.

She could still feel the rage that had erupted inside her as she watched the beast toss his lifeless form away like so much garbage. That was when the larger-than-life wasps had seemed to fill the air and it was then that Miroku had held up his hand and after shouting for her to hold on, uncovered it causing a hurricane force wind. She had tried to stop him. He looked . . . apologetic as he did it. She had jammed Hiraikotsu into the ground, holding on for dear life as debris flew past, then without warning, it all abruptly ended in a massive explosion. And Miroku was simply . . . no more. In the blink of an eye. A single beat of her frantic heart. All that was left was a crater in the battlefield, and she was left clinging to her weapon. It was the only thing she had left. Everything else of value to her was gone in that instant. Something tickled her cheek, breaking her trance like ruminations and unclasping the the pillow she didn't remember pulling to her, she reached up to brush it away. Her hand came back damp, and she sniffed noisily, examining it.

"Damn it," she muttered, sniffling again. "I thought this shit was over with. . ." There was nothing worse to the young detective than the weakness displayed by her own tears. She was tough. Reaching into the drawer by her bed, she pulled out the nearly empty tissue box. Yeah, an empty box of kleenex . . . tough alright. Dabbing at her nose, her attention was drawn into the open drawer, noting a small stack of Michael's rice paper creations. Holding her breath, she gingerly reached a hand into the drawer and cautiously pressed a finger onto the stack. Nothing happened. Of course nothing happened. A nervous titter escaped her throat.

"You're not a demon, Rodriguez . . ." she informed herself out loud, then shuddered involuntarily. Demons chasing Kagome. A half demon under her own roof. Well, he _had been_ a half demon . . .

Pulling the stack from the drawer, Selene examined the one on the top. She recognized the design, just like the ones Michael had used to ward the doors. Glancing at her window, she recalled how Kagome had set the ones in her apartment. How the window had been broken, but had not been used to gain entry. She didn't know if just anyone could use these things, and she debated on even trying.

"What could it hurt?" she asked herself, sniffing noisily again. Taking one from the top of the stack she pulled the curtain back, then licked it and slapped it onto the glass. "Silly monk, always forgets the windows."

A strange sound pulled her attention to the ceiling. Frowning, she pulled the curtain back again. By the light of a half moon partially obscured by clouds, she could see that there was a bit of a wind outside stirring the branches of the old walnut tree. A spring storm was moving in by the looks of it. Satisfied that what she had heard was explained by the breeze and the too long unpruned tree brushing against the eaves, she let out her breath in a sigh of relief, then lowered the curtain and returned to the bed.

"Is this what it feels like to have a nervous breakdown?" she mumbled to herself. Dropping the stack beside her, she pulled herself into a protective little ball and rocked.

That was how Michael found her.

"Oh hell . . . come here baby," He muttered pushing through the door and quickly closing it. Joining her on the bed he pulled her into a slightly awkward embrace, with his right arm still in the sling. "I thought you were holding up a little too well for all that's happened."

"No . . . I'm fine . . ." she whispered, wrapping herself around him like a child in need of comfort. God, but the solid feel of him in her arms was good. She shut her eyes tightly, willing away the memories of pain and despair. The sound of his heartbeat was strong, and good, and real.

"Right, of course you are . . ." he held her close and rocked her, murmuring in her ear. "You do know the definition of fine . . . don't you?"

"I should, monk . . . you're the one who taught me," she replied, pulling herself up to press her lips just below his ear, grinning at the welcome replacement memory. The time he had explained the acronym.

She had met him after a difficult day, and they had taken in a movie. She'd been backup on a drug sting that went wrong, and two officers had been shot. It hadn't helped that the movie was a Hollywood construct based on a 'true story', involving law enforcement corruption at the hands of a drug lord. At coffee afterward he noted her distraction, and she said she was 'fine'. _"I thought so . . . Fucked-up, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional," _he had informed her with a knowing look. For being as insightful as he was capable of being, that was not one of his better moments. She'd hit him.

"You still sore?" she murmured into his neck.

"Never too sore for this," directing her off of her knees and fully into his lap, he suppressed a wince and his eyes fell on the Ofuda that were scattered on the bed alongside her absconded reports. "Expecting company?" he asked, offhandedly, brushing her bangs out of her eyes with his good hand.

"Just being a 'good scout', always prepared . . ." she leaned back and made a little two finger salute.

"Ah, well . . . Can't fault a girl for that," he studied her eyes closely for a moment. "You need to talk?"

"This is what I need right now," she hummed as she took his lips hostage. Moaning into the kiss, Michael found himself being pushed backwards against the pillows. Selene straddled him, grinding against his pelvis suggestively before breaking contact. "Now . . . where else does it hurt, where did we leave off?" She feathered his bruised eye and cheek with kisses. Michael stiffened underneath her turning his head away. The hand on her behind squeezed just a little too hard.

"Shhh . . . What's that?" he whispered. Frowning she cocked a brow. "Listen . . ."

She turned her head, listening to the quiet and hearing a male voice past the door, "Sounds like InuYasha is talking, maybe Kagome's awake . . ."

"No," he hissed with urgency, bucking to urge her off of him. "Something outside . . ." Struggling with one arm to get up, he glared first at the window then up at the ceiling.

"It's just a limb, monk . . . brushing against the roof," she sat back on her calves oscillating between relief that she wasn't the only one that was 'hearing things' and irritation that the damn tree had interrupted her seduction.

"I . . . don't think so . . ." he cocked his head, listening. Selene rose to her knees straining to hear what he seemed to think was _not_ a limb. Both of them nearly jumped out of their skins when two loud thumps on her door reverberated through the quiet room.

"We're outta here!!" InuYasha shouted through the door. "You guys better leave too!"

"What the . . . WAIT!!" Michael quickly ran to the door and fumbled with the knob. "I thought you were waiting till morning . . ."

"Someone's coming . . . I just talked to a guy . . . Kouga's sent someone after her . . . we gotta move . . . NOW!" InuYasha's report was rushed and urgent, and as Selene joined Michael at the door she saw InuYasha slide his sword down the back of his jacket, which he was wearing over the red pajamas he had donned after his shower. "C'mon Kagome! Leave that shit!"

The guy was going to ride his motorcycle wearing his pajamas and toting a weapon without a permit. Granted it didn't look too terribly dangerous, as poor as the condition was, but still.

"Who is this guy?" Michael demanded frantically, stepping into the hallway to follow. "Maybe it's a trap!! Did you think of that?? Maybe they're trying to flush you out for an attack!!"

"No . . ." InuYasha shook his head as he stomped off into the living room, Michael following. "He said Kouga would kill him, I know this guy . . . well . . . knew him . . . he called her 'oneesan'. Look, do what you want, I have to get her to the compound." Selene stood in the doorway and watched Kagome follow, yawning and scratching at her disheveled head.

"Who called me sister?" she inquired, hefting her pack to her shoulder. Selene shrugged, noting that at least Kagome was dressed. "Who was that on the phone?" she called out toward the living room.

"Move it, Kagome!!" came a bellow from further away. Kagome jumped. Eyes widening, she worriedly glanced at Selene then trotted to the living room, passing Michael in the hallway as he rushed back to the bedroom.

"Grab a few things, baby . . . we're going to my place . . ." Michael went to the bed and gathered up his Ofuda, quickly examining each one then sticking them in different pockets.

"What??" Selene shook her head, not understanding. "You want to leave?? It's the middle of the night . . ." She followed him as he reached up to drag a satchel out of her closet and shove it at her.

"Pack, damnit. He's right, we can't stay here." Selene had never seen Michael so intense before. Angry, yes. Worried, certainly. There was hollow look in his eyes and an aura of resignation that laced his tone. "You said it yourself, we aren't nearly prepared enough to take on 'full blown youkai', tonight made that more clear to me than I care to admit. Now pack."

That was when all Hell broke loose.

8888888888

Water whispered through the pipes to the shower, and was the only sound that punctuated the stillness as Miranda curled her nude form around her pillow in a nearly fetal position. The shower was a good thing. Yes. Yes. Kouga smelled atrocious, and she wondered if he had been drinking while negotiating with that M'noche creep. Either that or he had rolled around on the floor of a brewery at some point. She settled on the drinking. His behavior from from the moment of his return convinced her it had to have been drink. Really strong drink. It was like she didn't know him anymore. Then again, had she ever really known him?

She pondered on what little she had heard of his fight with Ginta. She still didn't know who Naraku was, but it had enraged Kouga to be compared to him. 'Abomination' he had called him. Ginta had to have known that particular analogy would be ill advised. She saw the flash of regret on Kouga's face after he hit him that last time. She didn't think he really wanted to kill his most loyal follower. His oldest friend. The fact that he had been so easily distracted from the scene told her that had to be so. Thank the Gods Hojo had been able to recognize her cue to leave.

"What have I gotten myself into . . ." she muttered into the pillow, the ache inside competing with the fire of the brands his claws had left on her hips and back. When she heard Hojo's car start up and race away, the feeling of relief was short lived once she realized she was in far too deep with her seduction of the prince to reverse it. He had become Domination in physical form, intent only on making her submit to him completely. It was as if he had been punishing her with his steel grip, his fangs pressed deeply into the back of her neck. Punishing her for her insolence. Punishing her for standing up to him. She had been afraid. She had been very afraid. The thrill that had coursed through her took her by surprise, and in the far reaches of her mind where thought could do no more than hide from the violence of his assault on her body, she decided that her own sanity should seriously be questioned. He was punishing her with sex, but she found the punishment delicious in its own way, and she rode the waves of sensation. She was an addict and his touch was her drug of choice. It was only after he had completely sated himself, heavily collapsing on her back and mumbling some foreign endearments into her ear, that the intensity of his aura finally began to subside.

It seemed like there were only more and more questions as the days went by, and she wondered if she would get answers to them before everything blew up in their faces. Kouga said she would be his guide. She couldn't be a guide if she didn't know the terrain. Nor if she didn't have a clear idea of their destination. Crystal gazing only went so far without some kind of background information.

Tossing the pillow to the side, she determinedly bounced off the bed, ignoring the smarting of the gouges on her hips. She needed to do something, anything. Maybe consulting her cards was in order. Just as it registered that the whispering of the water in the pipes had stopped, she glanced over to see Kouga standing in the doorway, hair still dripping and a towel wrapped loosely around his hips, intently watching her. She froze in her place, unsure of his intentions.

"Gods, but you're beautiful," he murmured.

"You're cruel when you're drunk," she stated simply. Breaking the eye contact she reached for her frock on the floor. She wasn't feeling like being gawked at. At least this time he hadn't ripped it off of her. "Blind too, I think." She glanced at the mirror on her dresser and grimaced at the wildness of her hair and the bruises on her side.

"I wasn't drunk," he denied, lazily reaching for her. She deftly evaded his grip, meeting his confused reaction with a defiant glare.

"Could have fooled me. You damn near killed him."

"Bah! He's Youkai! It takes a lot more than that to kill a demon . . ." he folded his arms and leaned against the door frame.

"What did you just say. . .?" Miranda locked her eyes on him. So, he had finally used the 'D' word. After witnessing his behavior tonight, after being subjected to his rage, she could now believe what Sally had said as truth. Maybe Kouga wasn't as altruistic with his intentions as he had led her to believe. Maybe he wasn't as 'good' as she had wanted to believe. "Maybe you should just . . . go . . ." She shook her caftan roughly and slipped it over her head.

"Whoa . . . what's your problem?" he demanded, straightening. All she could do was stare at him with disbelief. It wasn't possible for him to be _that _clueless. Or, maybe it was.

"Tell me, Kouga . . . why was Ginta concerned for my safety? I heard what he said," she closed the distance between them. "Why would he feel the _need to say _he would protect me, even from you??"

"He's confused, that's all . . ." he reached for her, and she backed up a step, knowing his touch would break her resolve. "He's got it in his head that girl is Kagome."

"She _IS_ Kagome!! She has the Jewel, she's The Priestess reborn . . . what has that got to do with _my _safety??" Her face was bright with anger, her eyes narrowed on her mate. _Gods help me, Kouga can't be evil . . ._

"Not a damn thing, wench!! M'noche is going after the girl tonight, we should have the Jewel by morning. I'm tired of waiting." He folded his arms, warding off any further discussion. It was a done deal.

"Wait!!" She shook her head, her mind racing. He told them where to find Kagome. He told _them_ . . . the same thugs that Ginta had warned her about. The ones that value nothing. "Are you telling me you sent those _animals_ to my cousin's _HOME_?" She demanded hotly.

Kouga began to reach for her, then froze still as stone. His face went completely blank for a moment before his eyes widened slightly, and as he locked them on hers, he blinked.

"You bastard," she muttered darkly, brushing past him. He hadn't denied it. He'd put her _family_ in danger with his plots. That look said it all. The idiot hadn't fully considered what he was doing. She had to call Sally, warn her. If it wasn't too late.

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Kagome dropped her pack and grabbed her jacket and helmet from the couch. Hurriedly slipping on the leather jacket, she could hear Michael and Selene heatedly discussing something back in the bedroom and InuYasha was yelling at her to hurry up from the front door, which she really didn't appreciate. She had been sleeping soundly when he awakened her, and was still foggily trying to get her mental 'ducks in a row', fighting just the hint of a headache as she settled the pack onto her shoulders. One might think that there would be time for a cup of coffee at least. But, no. He insisted they had to go _now_, that it couldn't wait. In short, he was being a jerk.

"Just a second, huh? I'm getting my helmet!" she shouted to him through the closed window, where he was pulling his bike up to the door. "Sheesh . . ."

Someone had called him, she caught the tail end of the conversation, but he refused to tell her who it was. Someone that had called her 'sister'. Who in the world would call her sister? She didn't belong to any fraternal organizations. Some churches would refer to females in the congregation as sister, but she didn't go to church. She was trained in Shintoism, but never had been referred to as sister. Who would know InuYasha that would know her, anyway??

Suddenly there was piercing howl from outside, the house began to violently shake and Kagome thought 'earthquake' as her heart jumped into her throat. She reached for the door jam to brace herself, wrenching her neck in reaction to the sudden ringing of the phone, while outside Selene's car alarm simultaneously jumped to life. There was dust in the air and her eyes widened in horror at a crack that formed in the ceiling.

"Kagome!!" InuYasha bellowed from the direction of the front door, and she shrieked as a squat demon dropped down in front of her. This one didn't look human at all, with hair in places on it's face where hair shouldn't be and a mouth that was far too big for the face. Eyes entirely too large, black as polished onyx, blinked as it grinned at her exposing entirely too many very sharp looking teeth. Worse yet, the thing appeared to be _salivating_. Darting her eyes at the ceiling she saw the jagged hole he had dropped from, and found that she wasn't able to rationally accept that the beast had actually come through the roof. This _had to be_ a nightmare.

"Hello pretty," came a deep, gravelly greeting. "Time to take a ride . . ." Kagome cringed, still not really believing the thing was there. Even the sound of its voice was straight out of some classic horror movie. She dodged the outstretched hand, realizing those arms were way too long for that body, and she ran headlong into a wall. Stunned, she shook her now fully aching head and the demon began to chuckle menacingly.

There was a scuffle off in the bedroom, then a loud crash as another beast seemed to fly backwards down the hallway bringing remnants of the door with it. From what she could see, that one looked a little more human than the thing in front of her. Selene came flying after the beast in the hallway, dropping a powerful kick to it's head effectively stunning it. Michael slapped a sutra on the demon's forehead and Kagome stood transfixed as she watched the speedy effects of the spell seep out along the creature's skin, sparkling like smoldering paper. Then abruptly with a howl the beast seemed to implode before their eyes with a rush of wind, the air where he had been was filled with a strangely sparkling dust.

"Amazing, Sally!! I didn't know you could move like that!! Just like Buffy!!" Michael congratulated his fiancée breathlessly.

"Well, Hell . . . Actually I was going more for Xena," she muttered looking up at the ceiling as the last of the sparkling ash from her opponent settled. "I take back everything I said about your rice paper, Monk. You really dusted the bastard!" She glanced down the hall, ignoring the still ringing phone, then turned, "Where's Kagome??"

"In here," she squeaked, her throat constricting between fear and a repulsively familiar odor emanating from her pursuer. The monster in front of her simply shrugged at the demise of his comrade, then as he grabbed for her again, she swung the easy chair between them. She managed to dodge the clutching appendage which rent the fabric, and pieces of the stuffing came away with the hand Her mind screamed 'BIO HAZARD' on seeing how sinister and filthy the claws were. Squeaking she used the first thing handy as a weapon, the helmet in her hand. Circling around she flung it at his face and backed up to the door where frighteningly strong arms grabbed her around the waist.

"Damnit!! Its me!!" InuYasha hissed into her ear as he held her writhing frame. "Where's your fucking helmet??"

Kagome heaved a sigh of relief, then pointed at the monster, who was straightening his now broken nose, and wiping away at the dribbling blood on his lip. Looking down at the floor, she realized that just as much damage had been done to her helmet, which now sported a crack where it lay. Had she done that? _This has to be a nightmare._

Selene and Michael pushed into the room, frantically assessing the situation. Seeing that InuYasha had Kagome, their focus turned to the strangely deformed assailant. Selene wrinkled her nose.

"Fuck, come on!!" InuYasha snarled as he dismissed the now useless headgear, then literally dragged her out the door to the waiting motorcycle, leaving the demon to the exterminator and monk.

Selene squared her stance, her face distorting slightly as she rolled her nose trying to alleviate the stench in her nostrils, then grinned menacingly at the demon. "Wanna play?" she asked, motioning with her fingers. Michael reached into his sling to pull out another exorcism sutra, and as they approached the demon, the creature seemed to think better of having paid his little visit. He jumped, swinging very apelike up and out through the hole he had entered from, leaving the pair to stand there in befuddled disappointment.

The car alarm was still wailing as InuYasha practically tossed Kagome onto the bike and yanked off his helmet. Taking her face in his hands, he forced her to look him directly in the eyes.

"Listen up . . . look at me . . ." he demanded. Kagome's eyes were wide with fear, but she focused them on him. "Remember how we used to run?" She looked blankly at him. "Kuso," he muttered, "Kagome . . . this is important . . . wrap yourself around me, understand? Just hold on tight, arms and legs, got it??" She nodded, gasping for a hysterical breath, her eyes darting around. He dropped the helmet on her head and cinched it. The damn thing was too big, but it was better than nothing at all. "Got your knives?" Again she didn't respond. Grabbing her shoulders he got directly into her face. "Kagome!! Do – you – have – your – knives??" Finally a crisp nod from her, and she raised an arm to indicate her sleeve. Satisfied, InuYasha twisted his hair back and shoved as much into his jacket as he could, then mounted and started the bike, "Hold on tight!!"

She was so frightened she couldn't speak. She could barely breath, and thinking was a near impossibility. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something fly off the roof and bounce off in the opposite direction. He said hold on, and that's just what she did, wrapping herself around him in a death grip as they sailed over the lawn and off the curb. The bump was a shock to her tail bone, and she drew up even tighter against him, mentally chanting, 'I am one with the driver, I am one with the driver.'

Ignoring the stop sign on the corner, InuYasha pushed for as much speed possible rounding out of the culdesac and onto the 4 lane street that would lead them to the highway. Two blocks and suddenly he found himself surrounded. A motorcycle pulled in front of him, the rider weaving as he stood and twisted to look back at them. Kagome had a vice grip on his midsection, which was exactly what he wanted, except it made it hard for him to look to the rear. Relying on the mirror, he counted two more bikes coming up swiftly behind him. He needed more speed, but that would put him right up with the one on point ahead of him.

Kagome heard the other vehicles coming up behind them, and renewed her grip around InuYasha. She didn't have much experience riding a motorcycle, but she knew that whatever move he made, she would follow it like an extension of his body. Being this close seemed to help her fear muddled brain. It was then that something struck her. Something significant. They were _running_. InuYasha never runs from a fight. At least not in any of the legends.

Damning his lowered night vision, InuYasha finally found a narrow opening between two buildings, and swerved wildly to the left. If he remembered correctly there was a field back there, and a shortcut to the main road. Having lost the rider on point was a plus, but only temporarily and he knew it. He had to either shake these guys off his ass, or stop them. He had to get Kagome home.

"HOLD ON!!" he shouted as they broke past the buildings, and the rough terrain of the field rattled them both to their very bones. Shifting down and gunning the gas, InuYasha pulled them into a wheelie, alleviating some of the washboard effect, but eliciting a shriek from Kagome. The trick was finding a smooth enough surface to do what he wanted to do. Timing was everything with the machine. Just like it was with Tetsusaiga. Glancing in the mirror he watched their encroaching pursuers. One of them appeared to be pulling something out of a container. Something long by the looks of it.

Kagome was absolutely certain that her stomach had been left somewhere back on the far edge of the field. This was crazier than those amusement park rides she had taken on her senior class trip. She prayed that she didn't end up hurling all over her fiancée. She already had enough explaining to do to his brother. That is if they managed to get that far.

"Oh shit," InuYasha muttered. "Kagome!!" he shouted back to her. "Purify anything that touches you!!"

"What??" What in the world is he talking about??

"You know!! Charge up your hands!! One of those fuckers has a chain!!" He swerved around a cluster of ancient concrete, and Kagome tightened her grip again. "He's gonna try and yank you off the bike!! Purify him!!" he shouted hoarsely.

"What about you??" She called to his ear, loose fringes of his hair pelting her chin like a thousand tiny black whips.

"You can't hurt me, remember?? I gotta plan!! Just keep holding on!! No matter what!!"

Kagome loosened her grip just enough to glance back, and saw that one of them was the demon from the living room. Had she been thinking clearly, she could have ended him right then and there. Just the thought of ending anything alive was so foreign to her. She had trouble swatting flies, let alone 'dusting' a demon. The other one, however, did appear to have something swinging at his side. It could be a chain, it looked heavier than rope. Could she purify through chain? Use it as a conduit for her power? Renewing her hold on InuYasha, she resolved to find out if given the chance. That stinky one had been in her apartment, she was sure of it. She had a score to settle with him.

"Not tight enough!!" InuYasha shouted. Kagome's arms and legs were starting to ache. She forced herself, locking her hands together, hooking her feet. "Here we GO!"

InuYasha slammed on the breaks, and leaned hard left, willing the rear wheel to rise as the bike flipped around in a one eighty, effectively slamming the rear wheel into one of their assailants while the other sped past them. Kagome squealed into his back, but her hold didn't waver, which told him she was ok. Now stopped, he quickly assessed the fallen pursuer, who appeared to be out cold and a glance back found the other turning to continue the chase. The one with the damn chain. Gunning the engine, pebbles and dirt spewed over the fallen demon as they spun out slightly before the traction caught.

Kagome gulped air, and cast a furtive glance behind them to see the one still chasing them literally run over the unconscious demon, the body seemed to convulse with the weight crossing over it. If it wasn't dead before, it probably was now. Though it didn't do the sparkle thing like the one had at the house. Maybe that was only with Holy powers. She shuddered, and laid her head on InuYasha's shoulder. They didn't even seem to care when one of their own was injured. Even Kouga wasn't that bad. And they were nothing like InuYasha.

"Only one left!!" InuYasha shouted. "We'll get him!! Get a knife out!!"

Kagome released her death grip on InuYasha and dropped her left arm, shaking it behind her to get the centrifugal force to drop the knife down into her hand. Concentrating, she suffused the weapon with energy, and it began to glow. That was when she realized something. InuYasha wasn't running at all. He hadn't been from the start. Even as a human, he was using everything available to him to defeat the enemy. Using everything in his power . . . to protect _her_.

InuYasha sped up as they dropped off of a curb back onto smooth pavement. He watched the last remaining demon through the rear view mirror for any indication of what his next move would be. So far they had only made a small portion of the distance to the compound, and he didn't fail to remember there was one more out there. Somewhere. The one who had been on point at the start. It was a small team, but Ginta had said he wished he didn't know them. From the looks of it, InuYasha could see why. These guys had no sense of honor. So far they had not involved any other humans, or damaged anything except Sally's house. He really wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want to carry the chase onto the highway where other vehicles would be involved. Vehicles with humans in them.

"Have I told you today that I love you??" She shouted into his ear, reaching up to brush down the hair that kept slashing at her exposed skin.

"You're crazy, wench!! You know that right??" He replied, unable to mask a grin.

"Yeah . . . I am . . ." she responded, then added in a murmur, "about you." Somehow she just knew it was going to be Okay. She was with InuYasha, and no matter what happened, they would be together. And that one thought removed the last vestiges of her fear. "I'm gonna try to hit him with this!!" She held up the glowing knife. "Slow down, let him get closer!!"

"You sure??" InuYasha let up on the gas just a hair. "You think you can do it??"

"I have to try!!"

"Ok, hold on!!" He waited for the return of her vice grip and then hit the brakes. Anticipating his move, their pursuer gave them wide berth, passing them and maneuvering his own one eighty to charge back at them. "Remember the chain!" InuYasha warned, then "Do your stuff, Koi!"

The chain came, and draped them both just as the demon's bike passed them. InuYasha grabbed for the outstretched line of it and pulled hard to prevent their being unseated. Kagome placed her hand over several links focusing all of her concentration. Surprisingly the demon literally jumped off the bike, and began rolling up excess chain like a lasso as he sauntered toward them, his bike forgotten as it coasted down the street. It was apparent that he assumed this a surrender.

"It's good that you are deciding to be reasonable about this," he drawled, specifically to InuYasha. "Papa will be merciful and make your death quick, I'm sure. The girl, she belongs to our ally. You should be glad I found you and not Kouga."

Kagome practically growled and could feel the surge of power leaving her at the sound of that name. The chain was indeed a conduit and it slowly began to light up following the line of the links around them.

"I'm not a piece of god damned property!!" Kagome hissed, pushing more power into the chain. InuYasha watched on with fascination, his dark eyes reflecting the luminescence like a mirror.

"You will tell Kouga that Diego gets the prize, eh bitch? Diego is the one that delivered . . . what the fuck is that?" The demon stopped his bragging still fifteen feet away as he watched the chain light up, moving swiftly toward him.

"Your name is Diego, huh?" InuYasha asked casually, dropping the length he had been holding. "Well, Diego . . ." he waited, assuming a bored expression the as power made its way up to the loop on the demon's arm. "Go to Hell . . ." a bright flash and an unholy howl filled the night.

"Good work, Koi. Your first, right?" he asked, his pride evident. He twisted in his seat to face her as she watched the dust settle.

"No . . ." she shook her head, her expression not what he expected. There was a veil of sorrow in her eyes. It had broken her heart. "You were my first, InuYasha." A tear made it's way down her cheek. "That was someone's child. I know . . ." she countered at his look of incredulity. "He was a bad guy, I got it . . ." and she wiped her cheek, thinning her lips determinedly.

"It was either us or him, Kagome." InuYasha cupped her chin in his hand, and touched his forehead to the helmet. "You did the right thing."

"I'm Okay," She tilted her head and brushed her lips lightly against his. "Let's go."

She kept her cramping legs down for the rest of the ride, and continued to clutch the infused throwing knife in her hand as she hugged his back, chin tucked to avoid the barbs of his flailing hair.

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Backing up from the edge of the abandoned tenement, a lone figure studied the now battered red motorcycle with a narrowed glare, as it sped away in the direction of the highway. He could follow them. Sure. He could also be the next one to die. He wasn't stupid. The 'weak assed human' they were supposed to get past to grab the priestess was _anything but_. And there hadn't only been two human females, alone and unprotected in that house. Kouga had lied. The whole thing had been a set up.

He should have suspected as much, when the Ookami made it clear that feeding on this mission was unacceptable. 'No unnecessary bloodshed'. He could at least have let them have the other bitch as a reward. Some bullshit about her being kin to the witch. What difference did that make? M'noche had knocked him clear across the room when he got in Kouga's face about it. Fine. Now he'd show his uncle the truth of it.

Their plan had been a good one. Scare the living shit out of the women, grab the little bitch with the jewel and go. Simple. Easy. Fear was the great paralyzer. Sending Ewok had been a stroke of genius. He wasn't the sharpest knife in the block, in fact he was more like an icing spatula, but he was good at making humans very afraid. Just the look of him was enough to scare old Beelzebub himself. Probably busy scaring the old bastard right now. Leaping in the opposite direction, Raoul chuckled at the thought as he made for the field to retrieve the body. He had to take something back. Some kind of proof for his Uncle. Sam and Diego had left nothing behind. Nothing but ash.

Kouga had been manipulating them all along. They had gone along for the ride, because the final outcome would far outweigh putting up with him. The Jewel was more than just a prize. It sure as Hell didn't belong in the hands of a demon that consorts with the very creatures it would be used to overcome. The Ookami Prince was a fool if he thought they didn't know he had taken up with that witch. His excuse that she was a seer and a direct line to the Jewel of Power just didn't wash, not when he showed up covered in the whore's stench. Humanity was an infestation that needed to be eradicated. Exterminated. Worse than roaches. Worse than fleas. Maggots.

And the clan's 'Fang', their only Prince . . . had just been turned into a mass of glittering powder by a pair of fucking _insects_.

Uncle M'noche was going to blow a fuse.

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A/N:: Just want to wish everyone who celebrates it, Happy Thanksgiving!! **whew** got it posted in time...


	45. Chapter Forty Four

DISCLAIMER:: All the originals are Rumiko Takahashi's babies, I just play with them . . . and occasionally torment them. All the other's are mine...

_A/N:: 'Finding Kagome' has been nominated under the 'Best Drama Fiction' category with The Feudal Association'!! I want to say a special thank you for that honor. Voting is underway. If you are not familiar with the organization, you can learn more at __feudalassociation__ dot cadkitten dot com (remove the spaces and replace the dot with a period.)_

_Special thanks to Moomanfl for his beta on this chapter._

**FINDING KAGOME**

Chapter 44

The muffled pounding of the surf against rocky cliffs below was accentuated by the resonant bark of a bull seal off in the distance. High above, dark clouds with luminous fringes skittered across the burnished silver of a half moon as it progressed along it's path to the west. A light breeze played with the leaves of a small stand of bamboo, and she tipped her head to the side, then reached into the singular pocket of her silk lounging pajamas. Pulling out a solitary, bronze hawk feather, she released it into the air then waved a hand in a fluid zig-zag motion. Her fingers bent slightly, elegantly with each pass through the air as she lightly tugged the familiar, albeit invisible, ribbons that wafted from the direction of the sea. Ribbons only one of her kind could see. Ribbons that could just as easily be transformed into biting blades. Crimson eyes sparkled when the feather caught, then returned to twirl and dance like a puppet in front of her, the ribbons thrumming from her manipulation.

"Oh, you like that, huh?" she chortled to the yapping puppy, who had stopped his nosing around the shrubbery to observe the spectacle. Bringing her other hand into play, she extended yet another strand of youki to gracefully beckoned the ribbons of breeze to turn and carry the dancing plume closer to her audience. Back peddling in a crouch, he emitted growling yaps of warning. It nearly reached his nose before he ultimately jumped, snapped and caught the thing in his mouth, ending the dance. Snorting he comically worked to push it off his tongue, rubbing his muzzle frantically in the manicured grass.

Kagura laughed merrily at his discomfort, ruffling his fur with the ribbons before dropping her control. "You weren't supposed to eat it, stupid. . . Hurry up and do your business. It's going to get wet out here soon."

The air was growing thick with the ozone of an impending spring shower, and Kagura reveled in it as she turned and walked along the cobbled path back toward the main entrance to the mansion. She had always loved that sensation of gathering power just before a storm. It sung to her very essence. Sesshoumaru had chosen well when he bought this land from the Fed all those years ago. Facing out to sea during a good blow was like being perched right on the edge of the world. More than once she had spent an evening on the cliffs, her arms outstretched, fan in hand, as she would tug and weave at the blustery power of the Gods. Battles were so few and far between anymore, it had become her favorite way to stretch and exercise her talents.

She was just beginning to see how much her little pleasures had played in the decisions that her mate had made over the years. Looking back, it was as though he had been making those choices with her in mind. So many little things all adding up to an American Empire of sorts. Triple D Enterprises was in the U.S. 'Top Five'. There were so many subsidiary companies, most people had no idea they were eating, reading, wearing and sleeping-on products from the same conglomerate. Sesshoumaru had made more than a few enemies in building that empire. Consequently the property that was now her home was one of the most secure places on the planet, she was certain of it. Yet it carried a subtle opulence that rivaled more than a few of the royals in Europe.

She knew that he had grown to care about her with the passage of time, promising to care for her, to protect her. And what had she done, but flee in a panic from the security he had offered her. She owed him so much, and yet she had abandoned him. It wasn't actually _him_ that she had been fleeing from. It was the threat to her hard won independence that he represented. At the time, it had slipped her mind just how integral the daiyoukai had been in bringing that independence about.

More than once after she had emigrated to the States, he had crossed the Pacific on 'business', yet, often as not, he wouldn't attend any meetings during his stay. She had known that he was checking on her. That he was inexplicably drawn to her. His stays had lengthened, until the last time he simply hadn't returned home. She hadn't complained. She had enjoyed their excursions, exploring the wonders of this continent. She had enjoyed his company, the familiarity of him. She had missed the part where he had started to _need_ her. When she had begun to crave his proximity more than she coveted her freedom. She couldn't put her finger on exactly when that line had been crossed. That it had, was all that seemed to matter.

The phone conversation he'd had with InuYasha troubled her. It left Sesshoumaru frustrated and irritated enough to growl at her when she hadn't been able to help her curiosity as he grabbed the notepad. Of course, she knew better. His brother's personal concerns were private matters to the Taisho. But she also knew he would eventually tell her, when he was ready. He nearly always did.

So, InuYasha was bringing his miko home, and she really did have the Shikon. One thing was certain, she and the Jewel would be safe here in the Inu domain, more so than anywhere else. InuYasha would have his mate with him. Comparing the great Lord of the West to a mother hen was not something she would want to do out loud, oh no. But everyone could be happy. Especially her mate. He would finally have all his chicks tucked away neatly in their nest. Happy. Content. At least for as long as the Fates would allow it, anyway.

A renewed round of yaps drew her attention back to the puppy, and following the focus of his attention, she discovered her mate standing regally on the balcony of his study watching them in his indomitably impassive way. Back lit by the lowered lights of the room behind him, shifting beams of moonlight played across the fine smoothness of his features. The breeze stirred his unbound hair and she felt a familiar flutter in her middle. Gods, but he was magnificent. Even if he was, as often as not, an arrogant ass. A pair of white sweats were the vestments of her personal guardian angel.

Okay, so that analogy might be. . . pushing it a little bit. Almost as bad as the 'mother hen'. She grinned mischievously, shaking her head at her aberrant musings.

"Come on, kid . . ." she leaned down and patted her hands, urging the puppy to come to her, but he continued to bark, tail flailing madly. "I've got stuff to do, let's go. . ." she motioned and snapped her fingers moving up the path. The little guy was being stubborn, and continued to bark at the Demon on the balcony.

Without warning, Sesshoumaru dropped down from his perch, emitting a low growl at the excited pooch. Kagura watched with interest as the pup flipped to his back, quieting immediately and baring his stomach to the daiyoukai. All her mate had done was make a sound.

He hadn't had much of anything to do with the pup since he was delivered, other than to yell at him to 'get out' after he'd peed on that rug. She'd taken on entertaining the cute little guy in order to keep the peace, at least until InuYasha came home, to the point of neglecting important preparation for her meeting in the morning. And now, all Sesshoumaru had to do was growl and the little rascal just rolled over and played dead. Huffing low twice, Sesshoumaru motioned with his hand and the pup got up, yipping once to the Demon, then trotted off toward the stairs at the front of the residence.

"How the Hell did you do that?" she demanded, hands on her hips. He raised a brow at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes, then circled his arm around her shoulders to walk her inside.

"The little beast will not be allowed to disregard my mate," he finally replied. "I told him to behave, or else. Frankly, I am surprised he understood. I have not spoken Inu with intention for a very long time."

"Now that's something I hadn't thought of," Kagura mused, wondering how hard it would be to learn.

"Hn," he grunted distractedly.

"Does that mean that after all this time, you've actually been _saying something_ when you growled at me?" she inquired with a mischievous grin. "I never realized . . . I thought it meant you were too angry to talk . . ." her brow furrowed with realization and she turned to face him. "You've been telling me to roll over and play dead!!"

Sesshoumaru snorted uncharacteristically, "To submit, actually . . . though I certainly never expected that you would comply. Not my Blithe," His eyes shone with affection as he called her by the alias she had first used on coming to San Francisco. She recalled how much he had liked the name, said it was most appropriate. It was a sad day when the time came for her to change her identity, something that was a matter of course for any immortal living in human society. He'd always liked that name, perhaps she would take it again.

Lacing his fingers into her hand, he drew her close and gently touched his lips to hers. "About earlier . . ." his voice no more than breath, there was apology in his tone.

"No . . . I was being nosy. Your business with your brother is . . . well, none of mine," she shook her head, then looked deeply into his eyes. "I'm concerned too. I know you've got a lot riding on success with him."

"You make it sound like an impending gambling debt." He pulled his hand away, his face beginning to harden.

"NO! I didn't mean it like that . . . it's just . . ." Kagura grasped the fabric of his shirt, willing him to not pull away from her. "It's the final step . . . and I hate it."

"You knew where this was going, why I had to find him," his eyes softened. "There is still time, Itoshii. It will be quite a long while before he is ready. He has much to learn," he stroked clawed fingers through her hair, tucking an errant lock gently behind her pointed ear. "We have barely begun his training. His need to to seek out his mate rightfully took precedence. Once he brings her home, he can settle into a routine." He glanced toward the gate. Though there was no direct sign of it, she knew he was beyond anxious for InuYasha's return.

"Sesshou . . . I've been thinking," Kagura placed a palm on his chest drawing his attention back to her. He examined her apprehensive expression for a moment before responding.

"A dangerous pastime for you, my heart," his eyes narrowed before a hint of amusement filtered across his features. Her initial flash of outrage disappeared as she realized that he was actually being playful. It seems that InuYasha's presence was having an unexpected influence over the Ice Lord. Imagine that. Gaining a sense of humor by osmosis. If only a sense of humor was all that was needed to make everything all right again.

"So, tell me. . . what is it that you have been thinking," he prompted, breaking her from her musing.

Kagura took a breath, carefully gauging his expression. The subject was taboo, yet one that she felt had to be broached. She'd given up on 'happy ever after' endings long ago, but InuYasha's appearance, and the discovery of the miko's most recent incarnation, then the strengthening of her own bond with Sesshoumaru after so much time, had awakened something deep inside of her. It had to be more than coincidence. Her emotional reaction could only be compared to feelings she had harbored the first time she ever approached the daiyoukai. The first time she had asked him to kill Naraku. He had regarded her plea with disdain, telling her that if she had a grievance with the vile hanyou then she should take care of it herself. Hope was a rare thing in those days. And he had callously dashed hers that day so very long ago. But would he now?

"The girl . . . the miko . . . perhaps she has answers . . ." Kagura stammered, avoiding his eyes. "Kagome . . . she was powerful . . . and smart, could do amazing things . . . if she has the Tama . . . then maybe . . ."

"This Sesshoumaru refuses to indebt himself, or his mate . . . to that accursed Jewel," he interrupted abruptly. "You surprise me by even suggesting it."

"I'm not suggesting you take the damn thing from her! But if it makes _her_ stronger, maybe _she_ can _do something_!" Now she did meet his eyes with a determined set to her jaw, the front of his sweatshirt fisted in her hands.

"You will say nothing to the girl about this." He gripped her shoulder tightly for emphasis. "It would change nothing. The plan has already been set into motion, Kagura. InuYasha is the heir. He will assume control once he is trained. It is as it should be." Looking down at her hands with a hardened glare, she renewed her resolve and twisted the fabric rather than letting go.

"I agree with you!! I don't care about the damn 'House of Inu', Sesshoumaru!!" she tugged at his shirt, and he reached to yank it from her hands with a glare, then turned to walk away. "Crap . . . That didn't come out right." Chasing after him, she trotted around him skipping backwards as she tried to get him to at least look at her. "Anata!! This is about _YOU. . . _not about producing an heir . . . I don't want to lose you, damnit!! Now that we're finally together. . . it's almost as if you're determined to . . . to die . . . just like your damn father . . ." Hearing the words leave her mouth, she found herself momentarily shocked at them, and she halted her chase.

However, the statement did get his attention, and he stopped as well.

No, she hadn't known his father. He had died long before she was even a wicked glimmer in Naraku's twisted mind. Even before the notorious Onigumo had cut his swath across Japan. But she did know the story. How the Great Inu no Taisho had gone out for blood, knowing he was already too wounded to possibly survive. It had been a matter of honor. His stubbornness had thrown the whole of the Western Lands into such a turmoil that Sesshoumaru had never fully succeeded in reclaiming it. She knew the history. She didn't want to see it repeated.

"Do you honestly believe that insulting my bloodline, then comparing me to my sire will shake me into agreeing to your plot?" His voice was low, tense. She straightened, bracing against the swell of his youki, her conviction never wavering.

InuYasha was the heir. That was agreed. The continuation of the House of Inu rested solely on him, and the poor sap didn't even know it. When Naraku had created her, it had not been with the continuation of his line in the plan. Which was probably for the best, all things considered. And Sesshoumaru had never shown any interest in finding a mate, that is until recently. InuYasha would assume control of the family holdings once he was trained. That was 'the plan'. But, the impending succession was the least of her concerns.

The malady that had so slowly and insidiously weakened Sesshoumaru had remained undiagnosed, despite consultation with the foremost authorities in Youkai medicine. In short, he was an immortal who was being gradually robbed of his immortality, and no one could figure out why. She had been the first to realize that something was amiss, long before she ever left Japan. It had since become a heavily guarded secret that the daiyoukai firmly believed his days were numbered.

"You make it sound like I'm concocting some form of treachery. This is your LIFE we are talking about, Sesshoumaru. Not your brother, or the bloody succession of the Inu Empire . . ." she knew he would never dream of lashing out at her, but she had to force herself to remain calm, sound reasonable. "Would you deny us the future we've both longed for? Why are you so set against at least consulting with the girl?"

Sesshoumaru studied his wife for a moment, then focused on the gate. Taking a deep breath, his demeanor shifted, his youki gradually receding. "I would not have InuYasha believe that I have used him . . . or the miko for that matter . . . for my own purposes. He has already stated that he has suspected ulterior motives to my seeking him out." He turned and locked her eyes with a rare, haunted expression.

"You _did_ have ulterior motives . . ." her brow furrowed. Come to think of it, it had seemed just a little too easily that Sesshoumaru had convinced his brother to accept his role in the succession. The announcement of their intent was to be made to the Council at the next session. With the emergency session having been called, she assumed it would be then that the formalities would be addressed. Yet Sesshoumaru hadn't mentioned anything about it during the call. But there was more to it than that. Kagura caught her breath with the realization. "You haven't told him . . . "

"It is not as though there is a choice to be made," he replied, expression grim, determined.

"He came looking for the girl, and has no idea what you have planned . . ." incredulously vocalizing her thoughts, Kagura's eyes became accusatory. "I suppose it's my turn to be surprised."

"He still does not trust me. I only have myself to blame for that." He looked away from her, masking his features. "For InuYasha to fully understand what this duty entails . . . it will require his full attention. It is my sincere hope, having the miko near will bring focus for him. It is then that all of it can be revealed. He is so . . . childlike. Behind the bravado there is an innocence that I never saw before. In the past I mistook it for stupidity, ignorance . . . my brother is many things, but, there is one thing he is not, and that is 'stupid'. I know that he omitted something important when he called. He evaded my questions with useless drivel about the puppy. Now is not the time to approach either of them . . . with matters beyond those of immediate concern."

Okay, so her timing was off. It wouldn't be the first time for that, or the last. Of that she was certain. However, he hadn't said 'never', and that one small favor gave her a twinge of renewed hope. The time would come, and if she had learned nothing else from her accursed 'parent', she had learned the value of patience. Kagura drew close, wrapped her arms around her beloved, and pressed her ear against his chest. The beat of his heart was a comfort. It was strong and steady, and reassured her. It may have been over a century since she last seen him assume his energy form, his speed and agility may have lessened significantly, but his heart was still strong. She would wait, because he was right about one thing. There was still time.

"I'll make you a deal . . ." she raised her face to meet his eyes.

"You and your deals . . ." his voice low, gentle, a hint of bemusement in his eyes. His arm encircled her, and she relaxed into his embrace. "What do you propose?"

"My terms . . ." she began, pulling away, all business. "I promise I won't be the one to bring your health issues up . . . at least for now. _But_, if either of them have questions . . . I _will_ answer them. And be assured, My Lord, when that time comes, I'll be asking a few questions of my own . . ."

The breath he took sounded remarkably like a sigh of resignation before he spoke. "InuYasha suspects something is amiss. I have experienced him being . . . protective, when we are together. Odd, that he is so, yet still seems to not trust me," his voice quieted as his thoughts seemed to drift off for a moment. "Let them settle in. Let us neutralize the current crisis before we introduce another. Can you honor me in this, my mate?"

"Excuse me, Sir?" From seemingly nowhere a young man approached, one of the Security staff by the look of his garb. Charcoal black tunic with a mandarin collar over simple slacks of the same hue. The true giveaway was the small looped ear piece and the radio on his belt. They were all over the compound, and Kagura was still unaccustomed to their constant, watchful presence. At least they were discreet for the most part, staying in the shadows. Though that of itself could be disconcerting.

"Report," Sesshoumaru demanded still holding her, barely affording the man a glance.

"The perimeter has been breached, Sir." The Demon turned quickly, the man had gained his full attention. "Surveillance says a motorcycle . . . same model as the young Lord's," the man's brow furrowed his eyes unfocused as he listened. Sesshoumaru's relief at the news was short lived. "Sir . . . It's not him."

"What do you mean, it's not him??" The Demon demanded. Kagura stepped back and glared toward the gate. The faint whine of a motorcycle approaching drifted up the hill beyond it and something else. She turned her ear to listen to the wind.

"Two riders, the driver appears to be male, dark hair, Sir. No helmet," the guard reported in a rush. "What do you want us to do?" Sesshoumaru glared in the direction of the quickly approaching motorcycle.

Kagura tilted her head further into the breeze, then glanced at her mate. The voice had become more discernible now, it was definitely InuYasha screaming at the top of his lungs.

"It's him . . ." she resolved, her lips thin. "Can you hear him? He's screaming 'open the gate!'"

"You heard the Lady . . . Open the God damned gate," the Demon quietly ordered his guard.

The man jerked around anxiously and barked into the small radio, "Do it! Open it! Taisho's orders!"

The low hum of the mechanism was punctuated by a flash of lightning and a heart stopping eruption of thunder. The Ducati slipped through the partially opened gate and pulled around directly to the main stairs. The young man in the front seat killed the engine, and swung a red hakama clad leg over the front to dismount, and Kagura gasped. He then quite literally plucked the passenger off the bike and hovered over her trembling form to remove the helmet. Small drops of rain began to fall

"But . . . it's not his night . . ." Kagura murmured in confusion as they approached the couple, only to receive an accusatory glare from her mate. Her eyes widened as she remembered that she wasn't supposed to have that particular information. She had never told anyone, even Naraku. Especially Naraku. Sesshoumaru stopped several feet away and emitted an involuntary growl. His eyes flashed red, youki bloomed.

The young woman froze, her eyes saucers as she clutched at her chest. Suddenly something was flung away as if it had burned her, her hand immediately returned to her chest to nervously be wrung by the other. Kagura followed the sound of the discarded weapon and recognized the bright hue of a miko's purifying power.

Stroking the darkening crest on her mate's wrist, she pressed against him in a practiced effort to calm his youki. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation, Anata," voice raised to draw his attention away from the obviously terrified woman.

"Anata?? What the Hell?? " InuYasha made no attempt to mask his shock, then quickly grabbed for the girl who's knees started to give. "Just . . . back the fuck off, Jackass!!" InuYasha held up his free hand, arm braced around the trembling woman. "She's scared enough without your bullshit!!"

"What happened??" Kagura demanded once she felt the daiyoukai's aura begin to recede. Cautiously approaching the pair, she determined that the girl was obviously traumatized, and trying very hard to be submissive. Interesting. It was as though she knew that meeting the daiyoukai's eyes could be misinterpreted. And she had disarmed herself. Smart. Either that or instinctual. Those know-it-all researchers who claimed _humans possess no instincts_ spouted rubbish. Whatever the case, the rain was beginning to fall in earnest and they needed to get her inside. She was only human, after all. But, the hanyou turned human stubbornly blocked Kagura's approach.

"What are you doing?? Get back . . ." then to his brother, "What the fuck is _she_ doing here??"

"I'm trying to help, idiot!!" She rose to her full height which was still substantially shorter than the man in front of her. "She needs to get warm, she's shaking like a leaf!! If you two want to butt heads, be my guest. You've obviously traumatized her, let me take her inside and get her calmed down before we have to call in a medic!"

"Nuh-uh!! No way!! You ain't touchin' her!" InuYasha wrapped his arms around his trembling woman protectively.

"Maybe_ she _has something to say about that, eh baka?? Kagome . . . Kagome . . . look at me, sweetie," Kagura coaxed, leaning around the broad shoulder blocking her approach. Motioning toward the mansion, she spoke gently, persuasively. "Would you like to come inside with me and dry off? Leave these two to their hosing contest?" Kagome stared at her blankly at first, then offered her a tiny nod. The following wide eyed look to InuYasha implied need for his approval, which had Kagura huffing in exasperation. He whispered to the girl, and with her nod he reluctantly let her go, with an unmistakable glower of warning directed at the wind sorceress.

"I beg your pardon . . ." Sesshoumaru summoned their attention with his commanding air, "This Sesshoumaru _does not_ participate in 'hosing contests'."

"Could have fooled me," Kagura took Kagome's arm and brought it around her shoulder for support. "All that shouting and growling . . . No wonder the poor girl is in shock . . . come on, sweetie. I'll call for something warm to drink too. Let InuYasha debrief with the Taisho."

"My study, halfbreed . . . NOW," Sesshoumaru quickly ascended the stairs, brushing past the women to disappear through the door.

Kagura led Kagome inside with a backward glance at InuYasha who stood alone in the now pouring rain, dark eyes wide and angry, his jaw working akin to chewing a tough piece of meat. Retrieving the knife from where Kagome had tossed it, he flipped it in his hand twice, then glowered up at her before angrily throwing it to stick solidly into the soil of a nearby flowerbed.

This was going to be a long night.

_oo00O00oo_

A multilingual cacophony of dirty jokes and insults followed by raucous laughter and an occasional feminine squeal filtered out from the Del Sur hideout, an old forgotten tavern well hidden among ancient, crumbling buildings near the waterfront. The city hadn't bulldozed the area after the devastating quake in 2032 but neither had anything been done to preserve the once historic neighborhood. The eight block area was a dangerous blight the way it stood, hence no one came around, choosing to do the typically human thing and turn a blind eye rather than deal with the expense and inconvenience of restoration. That was fine with Raoul, it made for a perfect little playground for the Del Sur gang.

They weren't a clan, though many in their ranks were related. Neither were they a true tribe, as many in their ranks had joined as they made their way North in answer to the summons from the infamous Lady Ayame. M'noche knew of the demoness by reputation, and made no bones about the fact that he believed she was the embodiment of 'feminine demonic perfection'. In other words, he was smitten as hell with the bitch, based mostly on the rumors of her tactical interference with human affairs during World War Two, then later during the Korea and Viet Nam conflicts. It was rumored that she had even allied with Pol Pot in Cambodia. Raoul never once doubted that if she hadn't been on the other side of the planet she would have had her fingers in Hitler's stew as well. The young demon had to admit after laying his own eyes on her, she was some woman alright. M'noche had often said they would have heard more about her if that stupid twitch in Asia that the Americans were so fond of calling the 'Great Asian War' had lasted longer than 18 months. Cut so short, what should have been World War Three became nothing more than a couple of pages about technological and diplomatic interventions in the history books. Leave it to China to step in and screw up a chance for some real carnage.

That had been the lure of the Southern Hemisphere for M'noche, where war was still primitive. There were still wild lands there, ripe for the taking. Almost like stepping back a century, at least in the deeper interior regions. If it had been anyone else, Tio M'noche would have told them to take a flying fuck, but to be summoned North again by one so highly acclaimed had been an honor even he couldn't refuse.

His uncle had done well by his men, and provided a non-stop flow of drink and even pool tables to keep them entertained during their confinement within the city limits. The homeless and local whores made for interesting game, there was no lack for sustenance. However, the sounds emanating from beyond the barred door were considerably more cheerful than usual, echoing out brazenly into the predawn darkness.

"Stupid bastards are celebrating," Raoul muttered to himself, adjusting the limp body on his shoulder. He stood on the street just outside the weather beaten, though still quite sturdy, solid hardwood door for several seconds, steeling his resolve. Three men dead in what should have been a routine mission was not going to be welcome news. His uncle's reputation for 'shooting the messenger' didn't make the situation any easier. Not when one of the casualties had been the old bastard's only son.

Raising his leg, Raoul side kicked the door from its hinges to crash onto the floor. A caged woman in the back shrieked, while the abrupt entrance startled the rest into silence, poised in a typical tableau for the barely disciplined gang. Raoul surveyed their silent stares through the swirling dust. From the poker table to the left, bar to the right, the occupied iron cage in the rear where the stupid woman was still screaming, and the few in attendance of the game of 8 ball currently in progress, everyone gawked. Everyone except M'noche, of course, who just like the old warhorse he was, continued to lean into lining up his shot, paunchy frame draped over the table with a fat Cuban cigar in his teeth. He took his cue and tapped at the corner pocket.

"You damn well better fix that, asshole," he ground out around the cigar as he made his shot, then raised up to glower at the younger demon. "Someone shut that stupid bitch UP!" he barked over his shoulder in annoyance. The screaming abruptly stopped with a muffled gurgle. Someone over at the poker table chuckled.

"Hey, what's up with Ewok?" came an inquiry from over by the bar.

Raoul shook his head, then sauntered over to the pool table and with complete disregard for the game in progress, dropped the body onto the middle of it. Turning to regard his leader's glower briefly with his own, his eyes then traveled around the room in disapproval.

"What the fuck happened?" M'noche demanded. Pulling the cigar from his mouth, his eyes narrowed on the body that had just displaced his next shot.

"Fucking Kouga . . . _happened_," Raoul growled, then raised his voice for all ears to hear, his eyes still fixed on his uncle. "They weren't alone. Kouga set us up. The whole fucking mission was a set up." The room erupted into a discordant chorus of low murmurs.

"Where's Diego? That little piece of shit better have an explanation." M'noche glowered toward the doorway, obviously expecting his son to walk through it.

"Dispolvo, Tio," Raoul braced himself. "The bitch . . . Just like the witch said, she's a fuckin' priestess. She turned him to dust. I saw it. He's just . . . gone." Raoul made a motion with his fingers, implying an explosion. "Him and Sam . . . gone." He nodded at the body on the table. "They left Ewok in a field. Two men were with 'em at the house. Humans. One of 'em took her away on a bike. He did that." He nodded to the still form of the demon on the table.

M'noche didn't move, the irritation on his face remained unchanged. It was as though those narrowed eyes were piercing right into Raoul's brain, and he suddenly realized that he was having a hard time breathing under the scrutiny. Several very tense moments passed before the elder finally spoke.

"My son is dead?" the words were low, disbelieving. A contradiction to the heat behind the eyes, the angry clench of jaw. M'noche frowned. Raoul stood his ground and waited for the fatal blow, wondering if that pink light had hurt Diego as much as his uncle's claws were about to hurt him.

The raised arm caused him to flinch as M'noche grabbed him behind the neck, and pulled his head down to a broad shoulder. He was clan, so of course death would come with a kiss. He stiffened against the hold, knowing better than to even try to pull away.

"Tio . . ." Raoul groaned.

"You will tell me everything you know . . ." came the low growl, a whisper into his ear. "Every little, tiny detail you remember. I hope you are ready to take Diego's place. We will make that bitch pay." The hand lowered and it became an embrace. No kiss. No claws.

Raoul's eyes widened as he realized that his life was being spared.

"Where is that flunky, Ginta?? The bastard is always underfoot until I need him," M'noche shouted to his ranks. "Raoul is now Beta!!" This announcement was greeted with a combination of murmurs and cheers. "We have a score to settle with the Ookami!! All allegiance to Kouga and his ken is VOID!! No more fucking games!" Then his voice lowered below the excited cheering at the proclamation, Raoul cradled against his shoulder. "No more . . ."

_8888888_

She had told him she was okay.

She was far from 'okay'.

Staring blankly at the obscenely plush bath towel that she had been handed, Kagome choked back the raging torrent that welled inside her. It was supposed to be safe here. To say she felt intimidated would have been a gross understatement.

At the flash of the Demon's eyes, Kagome had been certain she was done for. Even with the space of several yards between them, she could feel his barely restrained wrath. It had been more frightening to her than when that deformed creature dropped through the ceiling of Selene's living room. It was apparent that this was no average youkai. He was the most powerful she had encountered to date. And he had been no less than furious. And that fury had been directed _right at her_. She was certain of it.

The moment that she realized the knife she had been clutching for miles could be perceived as a threat, she tossed it as far from herself as she could, and lowered her eyes in what she hoped would be understood as an act of deference – contrition -- she was sorry . . . so damn sorry. She could only hope that he would understand.

The woman, Kagura, had been so gentle with her. Very kind, almost doting in her hovering concern for the welfare of a woman who had not even said a word, yet had still managed to incur the wrath of her husband. A towel and a change of clothes had materialized, and she had been shown to a luxurious bathroom, where she was expected to change. She tried to avoid the daggers of accusation shooting from the reflection in the mirror. Her own reflection. Accusation and judgment that were well earned.

She had taken a life.

She still had a hard time believing that the attack had even occurred, let alone that she had willingly and vengefully released enough energy to purify the cocky young demon. She had been spurred by his words, implying she was some kind of object, a stolen possession that needed to be returned. She belonged to no one. She was not some kind of trophy. She certainly wasn't pretty enough to be a trophy. Running her fingers through her tangled hair, and carefully avoiding her eyes in the mirror, she affirmed that she was no prize. But the implication was that she was some kind of mindless bauble that needed to be returned to its proper owner. While her anger might have been justified, her actions could not be.

InuYasha had said that it was either him or them, that she had done the right thing. Yet she couldn't help but think of Kouga and how Miranda had looked at him. She adored him. Even if he was jerk, _she_ certainly didn't see him that way. That young demon, Diego . . . had been someone's son. He'd even made reference to his father. Granted it was about how he would kill InuYasha quickly and mercifully. Ok, so not all 'papas' are nice people. But someone had cared about him, would miss him. Even if he was a calloused bastard and ran over his buddy during the chase. At what point does a person's wickedness cross the line so far as to warrant death?

Kagome shuddered for perhaps the hundredth time that day.

Kagura quietly stood at a wheeled cart and poured tea into two fine china tea cups, complete with saucers. Kagome tugged the afghan her hostess had given her around herself and imagined that the scene would fit quite nicely in a Victorian era movie. An old 'black and white', of the sort that play only on specialty channels. She had never seen such an ornate pattern of roses and leaves on china before, it looked as though it should be gracing a museum case . She'd never seen a such an extensive library in a private home before, either. Almost Sherlock Holmesian. Definitely an old black and white 'who done it'.

She wrapped herself a little tighter in the crocheted throw, casting a wary glance at her hostess. After she had dried off and changed, she had been led to this amazing room, complete with fireplace and large comfortable chairs where Kagura was now conducting a very civilized European tea service at four in the morning, instead of four in the afternoon. Kagome pondered that perhaps she was becoming hysterical with these rampant thoughts running through her head. Should she begin looking for the white rabbit? Toto wasn't here to make that infamous comment to, the one about it not being Kansas anymore.

Glancing around on that thought, she noted that the only things out of place in her movie-like comparison, was the pile of apparently unopened mail that covered the desk on the far end of the room, and a stack of boxes by the fireplace. One of those boxes appeared to be a case of specialty dog food. _Surely dog demons . . . don't eat . . ._ Her mind raced. The memory of InuYasha and his coveted bag of treats at the mall flashed through her mind and had her questioning the idea. Another little tremor ran through her. Definitely hysteria. Now where was that rabbit with the kid gloves . . . _Here, Toto!_

"I'm sure you probably have a lot of questions," Kagura interrupted her thoughts by handing her one of the cups of tea, then elegantly folded herself into the closest wingback chair. Casually bringing her feet up under herself, the woman smiled and took a sip of her tea. Kagome nodded her thanks, still not having found her voice, and took a sip of the tea. It was wonderful. A blend of chamomile and mint, but different, richer than any store brand she had ever tasted. So, here they were. Murder at three. Tea at four. She considered changing her comparisons from the 'who-done-it' genre, to ridiculously bad spy movies. At least those were in color.

"Are you inu-youkai too?" Kagome whispered cautiously, trying very hard to not glance toward the boxes by the fireplace. The gentle laughter that erupted from the demoness took her by surprise.

"No . . ." Kagura chortled, then sipped at her own tea. "I'm elemental. Wind, to be precise."

"Oh, sorry . . . I hope I didn't offend," Kagome focused on the cup in her hands. She found the deep red of the woman's eyes unsettling, and had trouble meeting them. She knew they were on her, however. She'd seen the expression of speculative concern, a hint of curiosity, and something else. Something she hadn't been able to decipher.

"None taken," the demoness assured quietly.

Venturing another sip of the calming tea, the only sound in the room was the soft ticking of a grandfather clock, and the pelting of the rain outside. "This is very good," she ventured to stretch beyond the whisper, finding her voice a bit raspy. "I really . . . appreciate your hospitality. It seems I'm . . . I'm having a problem staying out of trouble."

Kagura waved off the gratitude. "You are right where you belong, dear." Kagome opened her mouth to object, the vision of the infuriated Demon splashing through her mind, but the demoness interrupted, reiterating her statement. "_Right _where you belong, I mean that. In fact. . ." she raised her cup, commenting with a mischievous grin over the lip as she took a sip, "I understand a member of your family arrived a little ahead of time."

"My family?" The reference confused Kagome, a fine line forming between her brows. Her only real family was her mother, and of course the extended family, most of which was in Japan.

"Oh, damn. I probably shouldn't have said anything," she muttered, lowering her feet and leaning over to set the cup and saucer on the table. "I'm sure that they will join us shortly . . ." Kagura stretched over to pat her arm, and she nervously flinched from the unexpected contact. "Do you want to talk about it? Any of it?"

Kagome met the concerned expression, the line between her brows deepening. _Talk about it? First I have to believe it . . . right?_

"I wouldn't know where to begin, its all been so overwhelming . . ." Kagome frowned, and took another sip of the delicious tea. She had to admit it was calming her frayed nerves, and she was finally feeling warm, though her muscles ached from the workout of holding onto InuYasha for dear life. It would have been different if he could have used his sword. But that was her fault. All of it was _her fault_. She couldn't help the pleading look that accompanied her confession, "I did it . . . I'm responsible for what happened ." Her eyes began to water. "I didn't mean to, it just . . . happened. Mr. Inudono is right to be angry with me."

"Sesshoumaru isn't angry with you, dear. He simply wasn't prepared. InuYasha gave him no warning. I think his ire is directed more toward his brother right now. There are dynamics at work in that relationship that you could not possibly begin to understand."

"I know a little bit about family dynamics," Kagome sniffed. "But, their situation is far from any norms I ever studied."

"Exactly. They are both extraordinary men, with vastly different backgrounds. Sesshoumaru has spent many years searching for his brother. More than you can imagine. The healing has only barely begun between them. This nonsense with Kouga has actually been good, because they have a common bond in thwarting him." Kagura rose and busied herself preparing another cup of tea, handing Kagome a dainty napkin when she sniffed again.

"So, you know Kouga . . . you don't like him either, I take it." Kagome observed trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible. She set her nearly empty cup down on the low table, then snuggled back into the plush chair, and dabbed at her nose.

"I have history with the wolf. Ancient history, quite literally," Kagura waved a hand dismissively, with a sardonic grin. "I doubt he even knows that I am around." She straightened, her eyes sharpening, "which is probably for the best, all things considered."

"So . . . does that mean. . . that you knew my aunt, too?" Kagome's eyes narrowed on the demoness. Other than the fact that she was a demon, no bells or whistles went off in Kagome's mind about her. She didn't 'remember' her.

"I did, actually," Kagura's eyes softened as she took a sip of her tea, curling up into the chair again, she continued in a casual, conversational tone. "We weren't close, by any means. But she helped me. . . helped me to believe that my life could be better," at this she paused. "An inspiration, you might say."

"So, it looks like your life is going good, now," Kagome's eye traveled the room again, and she suppressed the urge to add '_ridiculously good'._ "It wasn't so great before?"

"Ah . . . well . . . I had a very . . . abusive . . . 'guardian' I guess one might call him." Kagome heard a hint of old bitterness, pain that was quickly covered with an obviously well practiced, offhanded tone. "A rather twisted soul . . . He tended to try to manipulate everyone around him. Kagome and InuYasha, among others were victims of his schemes." At this she paused, and Kagome could see the memories were not pleasant for her. "They and their friends . . . finally brought him to justice." Kagura's eyes unfocused for a few seconds before she turned and caught Kagome's eyes. A fleeting look of desperation morphed to inspiration on the demoness' features, before she spoke again in a whisper of near reverence, "I was never able to tell them . . . how sorry . . . or even . . . to say . . . thank you . . ."

Kagome pressed herself back into the chair, furrowing her brow at the vague account, and how the disjointed apology and thanks were being offered to _her. _As if she had been directly involved in this 'justice' that had been meted out centuries ago. Her eyes slowly widened with amazement that Kagura, a complete stranger to her, was acknowledging her as the current incarnation of the miko in that legendary group. The need in her eyes yanked at Kagome's heart. Such a deep need for acceptance of her apology, her thanks. Uncertain about being the recipient of something so important, she drew her response directly from deep within her heart, using caution to not take credit for something that she, in all honesty, knew nothing about.

"I am sure that . . ." Kagome began hesitantly, slowly, ". . . that your living well _now_ . . . is all the thanks that would be necessary." Through her confusion, she sensed that something very profound was happening. She was scared out of her wits, and now this red-eyed woman was looking at her like she was some kind of living saint. Hysteria again? She nervously glanced around for the rabbit, thinking perhaps the Mad Hatter would be a better suspect, what with the tea and all.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, the Shikon made its presence known with a lingering pulse. Reaching up to grasp it through the borrowed blouse, she glanced again at Kagura, who had an expression of wonder on her face. Now the Jewel was calling to her? The expression of gratitude, and her acceptance, however remote it may have been, had triggered something. Now she was being led by the Jewel again. Had been all day, though for what purpose she had no idea. It certainly wasn't any more surreal than the last 48 plus hours had been, and she decided that to focus on the relic might alleviate some of the terror and remorse she had been saddled with from the night's events.

Usually, when she felt the Jewel's compulsion it had to do with healing someone nearby. The other times, she had been able to 'see' what the problem was, but a quick hooded examination of Kagura revealed nothing. Kagome could only assume that it was because the woman wasn't exactly human. Perhaps her miko 'sight' was limited to only those of her own kind.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked hesitantly, grasping for any kind of lead as to what the Jewel wanted of her.

"I'm just peachy . . ." Kagura shook herself abruptly, responded just a little too lightly, before narrowing concerned eyes on the miko. "But I'm worried about you. You've been through a lot tonight, or so it seems . . . too much that you aren't talking about. It's important to not pack everything away inside, that's not healthy."

"I'm okay . . ." she suppressed a wince at the lie. Taking a deep breath she made a not-quite-successful effort to appear relaxed, calm. "Much better now that I'm dry," she motioned to the borrowed attire, and offered her hostess a wan smile. "It's been a strange few days, and I just need time to think before I try to talk about it . . ." She felt the sensation of the the Shikon pulsing again, and she raised her brows. The pulsing was _not_ a result of her hysteria. Something was definitely going on.

"What is it?" Kagura asked, eyes searching for a cause for the change in her expression.

"This has been happening a lot lately. It talks to me . . . kind of," Kagome pulled the Shikon out, and watched it brighten as she sensed it pulse again. Kagura's eyes nearly bulged and she pulled away. Kagome quickly dropped the orb back into the blouse, "I'm sorry . . . here . . . I'll put it back," she stammered, blushing with the embarrassment of having caused her hostess discomfort. It seemed to frighten the demoness, and Kagome was still sound enough of mind to not be rude. She resisted the urge to say, 'See? All gone!' Like one would say to a two year old. Instead she just waved her hand dismissing it.

"He lied," Kagura whispered, before taking a breath.

"Huh? Who lied?" Kagome watched as the demoness worked to pull herself back together. The fear in the woman's eyes at the unveiling of the Jewel had the young woman's curiosity piqued, but she was hesitant to press. She was youkai, perhaps it was simply the purifying power that she feared. But Shippou had said the Shikon could be used by anyone. So why did it frighten her?

"Someone once told me the Jewel was most beautiful when it was tainted . . ." She could see the horror written behind the woman's unfocused eyes, terrible memories of some distant past. "Kagome, that's the first time I've ever seen more than a few loose shards, and pure to boot . . . and the son-of-a-bitch lied."

So that was it. Kagura had seen Shikon no kakera used for malevolent purposes. 'A few loose shards'. It was akin to an epiphany, as she examined the expression on Kagura's face. She had been there, she had lived it, been a part of it. So had InuYasha. As had Shippou, and even Kouga. What had always been to Kagome simply a fable, was their _history_, and it obviously wasn't a pleasant one. There hadn't really been a happy ending. Not for them. No, for them . . . it still wasn't over.

Perhaps it was the exhaustion that had set in, and a second wind pulling at her confused mind, but suddenly Kagome's awareness sharpened. It hit her like a bright flash of light that pooled to illuminate the dark, confused corners of her memory, the events surrounding the 'appearance' of the Shikon no Tama. Shippou's insistence that she wear it, Taki's ruined knee, Kouga's demanding intensity, the awe on the reporter's face. InuYasha's need for Mikey, for all of them to accept him.

She was responsible. She was the caretaker. She was the chosen 'Miko'.

"Don't worry . . . its my job to keep it pure . . ." Feeling a renewal of confidence, she reached over to pat Kagura's arm reassuringly. Kagome felt a surge of power pass through her hand at the moment of contact and the Jewel pulsed once more. There was no outwardly visible sign of the phenomenon, like she had become accustomed to experiencing. Her hands didn't glow, there was no subsonic reverberation, no flash of light. She hadn't had any intention beyond simple reassurance, but she knew that something significant had just occurred.

And apparently so did Kagura. Crimson eyes widened, she sat back in her chair taking quick panting breaths. Examining the woman's arm briefly for any sign of damage, Kagome concluded that the Kami of the Shikon had to have their own agenda. Whatever had happened, she had been nothing more than a conduit for their power. Like that chain had been for her power. She closed her eyes briefly and silently thanked them for not purifying her hostess.

For a moment, she could have sworn she heard a response of echoed laughter off in the distance.

o0o

"Where the Hell was Tetsusaiga?" demanded the Demon, his blazing eyes the only indication that he was displeased.

InuYasha stood firmly, scowling with his arms folded. He didn't appreciate being grilled like a pup with no sense. Reaching to pull the sword from the back of his jacket, the feel of it in his hand brought reassurance. He knew fully well he had screwed up, he didn't have to be told. He was the one that was dealing with the consequences of that royal screw up. The asshole didn't have to rub his nose in it. The thing that bothered him the most, was that he felt so very guilty and now cornered, with the jackass's interrogation.

"Kagome was holding it," InuYasha swallowed perceptibly, "She didn't know, and I didn't. . .

I didn't expect it would get so out of hand. I should'a asked for it, but I was too pissed off to even think about it." He paused a moment, a new perspective tickling at his mind.

Sesshoumaru wasn't really angry. Not the deadly anger that he had grown to know. The reality of it was that his brother was frustrated. He had been worried about him. He could see it now, and his stupid pride had kept him from warning him ahead of time. He had hoped it would pass before he saw him again. He briefly flashed to the memory of when he finally awoke after being so sick. Near death, they had told him. The rare display of emotion by the Demon had been disturbing. Now this display of anger was . . . not so much _at _him, as it was _for_ him. Sesshoumaru really did care. InuYasha was beginning to realize just how much. "But, she stopped me, Aniki . . . no one died. That's all that matters," he added softly, a look of wonder in his eyes.

Sesshoumaru stood stock still, his eyes never leaving InuYasha. That was an honorific that had never once been used in addressing him. By anyone. InuYasha's choice to use it now, to actually call him 'big brother' had brought the Demon to pause. The harshness of his glare softened as he digested the gravity of the situation that the miko had faced. No harm had been intended. Prevention of a murderous disaster had been her goal. And her behavior upon their arrival made it clear that she understood what she had done, and took no pride in it. This would not have happened had they been mated, of that he was certain. That was a situation that should be rectified as soon as possible, provided InuYasha had not been permanently purified. That would present an entirely new set of problems should it prove to be the case.

"You will see the house physician first thing in the morning. I want to know if this is permanent," Sesshoumaru pressed on without hesitation. "The condition of the Ducati suggests you met with interference while coming home . . ."

"You could say that," InuYasha relaxed his stance. The atmosphere of the study had changed dramatically. "One of Kouga's cronies called, said someone was coming. They got there just before we left. Really fucked up Sally's house. Miroku got one inside the house. Exorcised him, just like he used to. We lost one during the chase and I took one down with the bike. Kagome purified the last one . . ."

"Indeed . . ." Sesshoumaru looked away briefly, considering his brother's last statement. "So, the miko is not completely helpless." Sesshoumaru held out his hand, motioning toward his brother. "Hopefully this kind of . . . accident . . . can be avoided in the future. And you say that 'Miroku' exorcised one. So Mr. Andrews has retained the Houshi's skills?"

"Yeah, you could say that . . ." InuYasha scowled at the floor, remembering the warded exits and the subjugation Ofuda that had spawned his need to fight the man in the first place.

"Let me see your phone . . ." Sesshoumaru motioned with his hand. At InuYasha's questioning look he explained, "The caller I.D. will tell us where the informant called from."

InuYasha dug the phone out of his pocket, then found the ear piece and examined it as he handed the phone to his brother. "This damn thing is useless to me now," he muttered.

The Demon's eyes flicked from the phone that he had raised to eye level, to see his brother's frustrated examination of the secondary piece of equipment. "Hopefully, not for long, little brother. Let us see what the physician says before we make any assumptions."

Dropping the ear piece into his jacket pocket, InuYasha lowered into a chair and leaned elbows to knees, examining his hands with a scowl. That lousy phone had more features on it than he thought he would ever possibly remember. It was a wonder he could remember how to make a simple call. It would probably be useful to know where Ginta had called from. Maybe that would be the lead they needed to uncover where Kouga was hiding out.

"Does the name Akitoki Hojo mean anything to you?"

"Hojo??" InuYasha's eyes shot up, that was the last name he expected to hear. "What does that useless bastard have to do with anything??"

"It was from his phone that your warning call came," Sesshoumaru handed back the unit. "Perhaps not as 'useless' as you have deemed . . . am I to assume he is one of Kouga's . . . 'cronies', I believe was the term you used?"

"Kuso . . ." under his breath the word was no more than harsh consonants. "Miroku said that Kouga was talking to him, but it was Ginta that called me. Ginta's been with Kouga as long as I've known the Ookami. That means that Hojo's in a lot deeper than I thought . . ." he locked his eyes on his brother. "Hojo is ningen . . . what does it mean??"

"Another ill fitting piece to the puzzle . . ." Sesshoumaru lit contemplatively on the edge of his desk. It was well known the wolf imagined himself to be clever. Perhaps the added human elements in his plan were simply devices to draw them off the scent. Then again, it was unfathomable that the fool would involve himself so intimately as to mate with one for that purpose alone. Or had he, in actuality done this thing? Their sources of information on this were, after all, human. Humans with no true knowledge of youkai culture or tradition. Easily fooled. Equally easily coerced. The most dangerous thing they could do would be to assume anything at this juncture. More information was needed.

InuYasha glanced at the door anxiously, impatient with the silence. "So . . . are you going to tell me _what in the Seven Hells_ Kagura is doing _here . . . _ at this hour?"

"It is only logical that my mate is here with me," Sesshoumaru's expression was impassive, distracted with his thoughts.

"Mate??" More an explosion than a confirmation, disbelief and disapproval contorted InuYasha's features. "Fuck, I knew you guys were close . . . but not _THAT _close!" He abruptly rose and paced over to a window, then back in frustration. He knew that things changed with the passing of time, but he had a very difficult time accepting that the wind sorceress was no longer one of his enemies, let alone a member of his family now. He'd thought she was dead, even heard rumors of it before they finally finished off Naraku. Discovering her here, in this time, and in this place, had been enough of a shock. And now he was to accept that she was mated to his brother? "When the hell did this happen? Obviously not before that damn opera, or I would have known . . . fuck I thought she was long dead, before I saw her that night."

"That was the idea . . ." The Demon's eyes narrowed on his sibling. This was phase two. It was apparent that both of them had withheld important information this evening. He proceeded with the utmost caution, knowing fully well how volatile his brother could be. It simply would not do, to have him 'grab the miko and run'.

"Naraku tried to poison her. The keyword is 'tried'. Very nearly succeeded. This Sesshoumaru was instrumental in her recovery from that attack, and word was spread that she had indeed succumbed in order to prevent the abomination from coming after her." Allowing a moment for this to digest in his brother's mind, he rose to his full height, prepared for the assault he knew was to come.

"You lied . . ." InuYasha muttered. The anger the Demon had expected in response was nothing compared to the momentary flash of hurt disappointment that crossed his brother's human features, to be followed by a grim snarl. "You said she was gone . . . that she had smiled . . ."

"It was no lie, she was indeed 'gone'. Transported by Ah-un to the castle. This Sesshoumaru simply did not elaborate as to . . . where she had gone. And she did, indeed, smile."

"Gah!!" An exasperated cough broke the tense silence. "You've got a warped definition of honesty, asshole."

"_The point is_, she may have been _of _Naraku, InuYasha, but she was _never for_ Naraku." Sesshoumaru paused again to let this sink into his brother's thick skull.

"Could have fuckin' fooled _me_!" Here was the anger, solid and true. "I can't count how many times that bitch tried to kill us! Not to mention the torture she and Hakudoushi put Sango through, dragging Kohaku around. Like they were wavin' him in her face, just to yank him away again . . ."

"More than once she approached this Sesshoumaru, begging that I eliminate the vile beast." He stopped and met his brother's dark, rather astonished glower, lowering his voice. "It took a while before I realized just how worthy that request was. She has been under my protection for a very long time. You would, perhaps . . . be surprised at how long . . ."

"And you're sure she won't try anything?" InuYasha motioned generally toward the door, then grasped the hilt of his sword. "I'll make sure she never does again if she even thinks about it!" His scowl only increased when he remembered that he couldn't do much in his current state.

"She wants no more to do with the accursed thing than I," The Demon's voice remained level, though his eyes flashed as he pointed to his brother's weapon. "I would think that our truce would be inclusive of our respective females, halfbreed," he raised an expectant brow and watched InuYasha lower the sheathed weapon in consideration. "We must first neutralize Kouga and his minion, then we will work on how to neutralize the Tama. As, most assuredly, there must be a way to do so. . ." His eyes narrowed on the man before him.

"Oh no you don't . . ." InuYasha shook his head and waved his arms in response to the Demon's examination. "I ain't makin' no fuckin' wish, if that's what your thinkin'! And you know why, too . . ." He paused, then muttered, "That fucking thing twists everything around, no good could come from it. I just want a normal life with Kagome." His expression morphed to worry and he again glanced toward the door.

"It is not my intention to force you to do such a thing, InuYasha" his words gentle, Sesshoumaru moved toward the door. "Perhaps the Tama itself will provide the answers, once we learn the proper questions to ask. Until then, our mission is to protect the miko."

The Demon opened the door and with a sideways glance at his brother, barked into the hallway. InuYasha tilted his head, an expression of amused disbelief that his brother, the stoic Lord would do such a thing. Then he saw why.

"Junior!!" He greeted the Samoyed puppy, who responded immediately with yips and wildly wagging tail. "How ya doin'??" In his arms the pup was all tail and tongue.

"Junior?" Sesshoumaru inquired with a raised brow, then shook his head halting InuYasha's reply with his raised hand. "I do not want to know."

"Keh!" InuYasha snorted as he followed his brother out the door, "I wasn't gonna tell ya, anyway."

oo00O00oo

_To Be Continued . . ._

A/N:: I know I took some liberties this chapter, off the canon track, but I couldn't resist. I'm a believer that people can change, and overcome, and endure. As for Hobo's name, going with the 'long-accepted family name' since no one seems to know what his first name is... please feel free to correct me.

I am in need of correction...

or a good spanking...

one of the two.

Moomanfl: or both

MKT


	46. Chapter Forty Five

DISCLAIMER:: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, Shonen Sunday and Viz. I do not claim any rights to those characters. The original characters in this work are figments of my overactive imagination, and I don't receive any financial compensation for any of it.

_A/N:: Much appreciation to Moomanfl and SacredSagittarius for their input and beta work. _

_You guyz rawk!_

Many Thanks:

To DarkAvenger and the members of the Feudal Association

for awarding Finding Kagome

Second Place

Best Drama Fiction

January '07

Finding Kagome

Chapter 45

On the third flight of stairs, Ginta stifled a yawn and rubbed at his temple, grimacing. Evil creatures had infiltrated his skull, and were apparently trapped there, since they were trying to bore out through his eyeballs. The energy of his companion was enviable, could only be explained by the gradual changes the man's body was experiencing after an infusion of youkai blood. Now that his own adrenaline had subsided, it was more energy than he honestly wanted to deal with. He needed sleep. Food, sleep, and time to heal.

The drone of Hojo's voice up ahead of him drifted down. His exhausted mind was barely able to grasp the odd word or two, it had become an incessant hum behind his pounding head.. Something about Kagome. Or rather something _else _about Kagome. The guy was obsessed. Kagome would be fine, Ginta had assured him. Repeatedly. InuYasha was with her, he would make certain she was fine. Then as they reached the final landing, his muddled brain caught something about food.

"Food . . ." he muttered in response.

"Yeah, I was saying I don't have much in the way of it," Hojo stopped and pressed his fingers on a keypad. "But I think I might be able to rustle us up some breakfast." The man was being repulsively cheerful, all things considered, and Ginta strained against the desire to pound him into the floor.

"Food would be good," Ginta grumbled, following him into the door.

"Excuse the mess . . ." the engineer immediately hustled around the room gathering, rearranging in an agitated manner. "I've been kind of preoccupied lately."

Just a step inside the doorway, Ginta scanned the room. He could smell stale beer, and a moldering sandwich, he thought. The walls were festooned with movie posters, mostly science fiction by the abundance of space craft depicted, and what he could only assume to be schematics for the same. There were at least 3 pairs of shoes abandoned abstractly on the floor, what appeared to be the Sunday paper scattered in haphazard pieces around a low table and all over. Gravitating by instinct toward the comfort of the couch's cushions, he tripped on one of the stray shoes. Managing a save by grabbing an over sized metal bracket in the wall, he successfully knocked over an elongated object that was set against the wall.

"Whoa!! Take it easy big guy . . ." Hojo admonished, grabbing for the oblong top piece of the object before it struck the floor. "I worked a long time on that," he gave the thing a cursory examination for damage, then ran to quickly remove the papers from the couch.

"What the hell is it?" Ginta squinted away from the overhead light, blocking with his hand. The brightness of the room was lighting the way for renewed efforts by the gremlins in his head. He plopped on the freshly unobstructed seat, leaning back and covering his eyes with his forearm.

"Its a model. Kind of my own creation, I used pieces from other kits," Hojo held the elongated model up with pride, examining it. "I think the design is much more realistic, taking in the actual physics of traveling in an atmospheric vacuum."

"So it's a . . . toy . . ." Ginta mumbled dragging his hands over his face.

"I . . . uh . . ." Hojo stammered looking at his technological wonder. "NO!! It's _not _a toy!!"

"So those plans there," Ginta pointed to a weathered looking blueprint framed on the wall. "Those are for a real ship?"

"What? That?" Hojo smiled with pride, "Nah. That's an authentic replica, a numbered collector's print first released in 1992. The Enterprise 'D'. Beautiful isn't it?" he folded his arms and admired the ghastly thing. "Got it on the Internet!! Hey have you ever seen Star Trek? I mean the really old ones, mid to late 20th century T.V., I have almost all of them," he motioned to a glass enclosed case in the corner. "Star Wars, too, actually and several movies, Starship Troopers, The Jovian Project, Mars Base Alpha . . ." he ticked them off on fingers.

"And you collect that crap for fun?" Ginta broke in, clearly disinterested.

"Well . . . yeah . . . sure," Hojo set his treasured model down and dragged his fingers through his increasingly unruly bangs. "More technology comes out of fiction than people think. It's like the writers get the idea, and we tech types work on making it happen," his chest puffed out with pride, then he raised a finger. "Cell phones, for instance . . ." his enthusiasm accelerated markedly, "not unlike communication devices used in old movies and T.V. Shows, in fact the inventor of the very first flip style cellphone attributed the design to the original Star Trek's communication devices!! And personal computers were . . . wow, don't even get me started on those! Why, did you know . . ."

Ginta squeezed his eyes closed against the assault, and considered the long term ramifications of just killing the guy. _It would be a mercy killing, _he thought. _I could just put the idiot out of his misery, right now. _He really hadn't intended to get Hojo started on _anything,_ except maybe breakfast. The voice quickly became no more than an irritating buzz in his ears. He was not in the mood to coddle this delusional geek. Maybe they would have done better to grab the Angel after all. She would know how to shut the kid up, and let him get some much needed rest.

" . . . like an exercise, I guess . . . I really want to get on at N.A.S.A after I finish my thesis. Aeronautical and Space design. That's my dream." Ginta's ears perked, and his mind twitched reactively to the name of the government agency.

"That's a _federal agency_, isn't it?" the youkai asked warily.

"Uh . . . yeah, it is."

"Forget it, kid. You'd never survive the physical . . . not now, anyway," Ginta murmured, adding offhandedly, "You should focus on the private sector, there's more money in space tourism anyway." Eyes closed, he missed the strange look on the young engineer's face. "Didn't you say something about . . . food?" At that he cocked open one eye and gave the man a meaningful look.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Bacon and eggs ok?" Hojo scratched his head and made way toward his 'efficiency kitchen', not much more than a closet with a stove and refrigerator.

"Got any soup?" The youkai mumbled. "I seem to be missing a few teeth." He tongued the gaps along his molars with distaste.

"I'll look," and he disappeared through the door.

The banging of cupboard doors made the youkai wince, and he curled up into ball, his upper arm strategically planted over his exposed ear. The guy could talk, that was for sure. Kouga had picked a perfect mouthpiece, provided they could keep him on topic. He was certain that he would have gone on for at least an hour about stupid spaceship designs if he didn't redirect him. He needed food. Just partially healing from the battering had depleted all of his stored resources. He would be no good to Miranda if he didn't get his strength back.

He could only pray that Kouga had exhausted his anger by now, and with the absence of other males around his mate, hopefully mellowed. Ginta conceded that he might very well be a fool, but he still harbored a lingering hope that his leader could be reasoned with. Perhaps Miranda would have more luck in getting through to the stubborn ass than he'd had.

"No soup, but scrambled eggs aren't too hard to chew," Hojo offered from the doorway. "Hey, do you think we should call them? Make sure she's alright?"

Call them. The generalization confused the youkai for a moment, his own thoughts having drifted to Miranda. Then he realized that Hojo's concerns had not been about their First Mother, but rather the priestess that he was so obsessed with. For some inexplicable reason, that pissed Ginta off.

"Oh, right . . ." Ginta uncurled himself and rose up to glare at his companion. "I can just see it now . . . Mid-swing with Tetsusaiga, InuYasha calls a 'time-out' to answer his stupid cellphone . . . 'Oh hi there, Hojo!! Nah, I'm not too busy, just fighting off a _HORDE OF DEMONS_ . . . So, how you doing?'" He lowered his thumb and pinky from the mock call at his ear to scowl at the fool.

"Tetsusaiga?"

"Yeah, his sword," Ginta instructed, rubbing at his forehead. "His really, really _BIG_ sword," he motioned with his hands, stretching a bit to approximate the size of the hanyou's weapon.

"Get out!" Hojo scoffed. "You can't be serious."

"As a heart attack," Ginta fought against the glare of the lighting to counter Hojo's dismissive amusement. "And he knows how to use it, don't kid yourself. Kagome is going to _be fine_."

Hojo didn't look convinced, and Ginta slowly shook his head. He wasn't in the mood to argue the point, or go into detailed descriptions of what he had seen the hanyou do with his weapon. More than a weapon, the thing seemed to have a sentience of it's own, the spells and enchantments on it were so powerful.

"So . . . when I challenge him . . ." Hojo began to look a little worried. Looking up, Ginta stared blankly at the man. He had to have heard him wrong, he couldn't have actually said that.

"When you challenge him . . . Him being InuYasha??" At Hojo's crisp nod he snorted then dropped his head, shaking it. "If I had known that . . . I wouldn't have wasted my time with you. Your already a dead man, might as well just go lay down right now."

"But . . . Kouga says that . . . a point of vulnerability . . . a time when he's weak . . ." Hojo stammered disjointedly as he leaned against the door jam, shoulders slumped.

"Kouga says, huh? Did he bother to tell you when that might be?" At the shaking of the young man's head, he pressed on, "If that's the case, then let me ask you this," Ginta reasoned. "Why is it that Kouga never used this information himself? He announced his claim on Kagome a long time before InuYasha even thought about it . . . so why didn't he ever exploit this so called weakness himself?"

Hojo lowered his head and tugged nervously at his left earlobe.

"I didn't realize Kouga had ever had designs on her . . ." he muttered, staring at the floor.

Ginta watched him speculatively for a short time, an uneasy silence permeated the room. The fool wouldn't stand a chance if he were to follow through with a challenge. And he could scent the confusion and anger that was simmering deep inside of him. Hojo was feeling betrayed. It had become a common theme lately among those who associated with the Ookami prince. The kid was in good company.

"Well, who knows what Kouga thinks?" Ginta rubbed at his sore jaw. "I sure as hell don't anymore. I will tell you this. If that girl really is Kagome-neesan, then she won't settle for anyone but InuYasha. The smartest thing you can do is write it off."

"Right," Hojo agreed sarcastically, glaring at him. "Like I can do that."

"Or . . ." Ginta proposed with a rueful grin, "I can invest in a wreath for your casket . . . But before you take off on your suicide mission, how about some eggs?"

Noting that the third time seemed to be the charm, Ginta watched a disillusioned Hojo disappear into the kitchen.

888888888888

Kagura's face glowed in the darkened library, as she leaned into a laptop from her seat next to a sleeping miko. Fixing immediately on the curled form, InuYasha made a beeline to her kneeling to inspect her in the half light. He let out a breath of relief that she seemed to be simply sleeping. Pup tucked into one arm, his free hand traced her brow affectionately.

The only sounds in the quiet room were the ticking of the clock and a rustle of fabric as Kagura straightened and stretched. Looking up at her mate expectantly, the warmth in his eyes told her all had gone well with the debriefing. It had taken long enough, the sun would be rising soon.

"I tried to talk her into going to bed," Kagura whispered. "But she would have none of it. I had the 'rose room' made up anyway, I figured once she could see that he's still in one piece . . ."

"Mm . . . Yasha . . ." Kagome stirred, leaning her face into InuYasha's touch. "Missed you . . ." A hand snaked out from the blanket she was wrapped in and searched for a target to caress. InuYasha grasped it and pressed a kiss into her palm before bringing it to his cheek.

"I'm here, now, everything's fine. You're exhausted, though. You need a bed," he murmured. "First, I got someone here that wants to see you . . ." On cue the Junior whimpered and squirmed against the confines of his arm.

Kagome managed to pry an eye open. On seeing the puppy she initially frowned, then gasped as realization struck her fuzzy brain. "Is that?" Immediately awake, she reached out and grasped the pup, pulling him to bury her face in his neck. "It _is_ you! The same one from the store! But how . . . when . . ."

"While you were in that shop. The one with all those posters . . . So I did something right?" InuYasha couldn't suppress his lopsided grin. He loved to see her smile. The whole world lit up when Kagome smiled.

"He's perfect . . . but . . . I can't have a dog," her brow furrowed and she stroked his fluffy white coat. "I haven't got anyplace to keep him . . . I don't even have a home right now."

InuYasha's countenance fell. She didn't understand. He had brought her home. They wouldn't be at the compound forever, but it was _his _home for the time being. So, now it was _their_ home.

"Kagome . . . Your home . . . isn't your home with me?"

"But. . ." She countered with confusion, "You don't have a home right now, either . . ."

"We have discussed this, InuYasha," Sesshoumaru interrupted sternly. It simply would not do for InuYasha to consider residing anywhere else. "This is your home now. It is your birthright, as much as Tetsusaiga ever has been . . . Miko, am I to understand you that are betrothed to my brother?"

"Um . . . well . . ." she stammered, taken aback with the reflectively golden eyes that bored into her. The term had caught her off guard. Betrothed? Did people actually say that anymore? And what was this about a birthright? Hadn't InuYasha said to her that he only had himself to offer? That he hoped that it was enough?

Capturing InuYasha's dark eyes, she urgently mouthed the word 'birthright??', but he only shrugged in response. Her eyes danced around, carefully avoiding the youkai while clasping a hand to on the pulsing Sacred Jewel through her shirt. "I. . . I realize we only just met . . ." she ventured a glance at Sesshoumaru, and was unable to decrypt his expression. Taking a deep breath, she plunged on. "I'm sure you aren't too happy with me right now. It was an accident, Mr. Inudono, honestly . . . I had no idea that I could . . ."

"Enough," the quiet command silenced her rambling, her eyes jerked up to meet the Demon's once again and she swallowed. "A simple yes or no will be sufficient."

"Here, Sesshou, sit," Kagura rose and picked up her laptop. "Don't loom over the child, I have to print a couple of things . . . I'll just use InuYasha's, if you don't mind . . ." she motioned toward the desk, then paused to wait for his consent.

"Whatever," InuYasha muttered dismissively, closely studying the fear and confusion written on Kagome's face. Sesshoumaru had scared the living crap out of her, and she was still afraid of him. Granted, in the past that would have been a good way to stay healthy. But, things had changed. Even he was beginning to trust the jackass, and she would need to as well. But, it would never happen if she was terrified of him. In a flash of irritation he hissed at his brother, "Tell her you meant no harm, damnit!"

"Oh, but I did," Sesshoumaru calmly responded, taking the seat next to her. Kagome choked and hugged the pup closer, one hand still clutching at the Jewel, avoiding the daiyoukai's eyes. "Before I had all of the information, that is. Now I understand the course of events that led to this . . . unfortunate situation."

"There you go with that warped brand of honesty, again!" InuYasha seethed. "Isn't this hard enough for her? She did the best she could." He wrapped an arm around her protectively, and she buried her face against his neck.

"You have not answered my question, miko." Sesshoumaru prompted, waving InuYasha to silence.

"I . . . I can't just . . . move in here . . ." Kagome stammered, pushing away from InuYasha's embrace and shaking her head. "I don't have my . . . my . . . stuff." Her voice tightened, eyes dancing back and forth between them.

"Gah! What stuff, wench?" InuYasha demanded, exasperated. If she wouldn't allow him to comfort her, then the only way to get past her fear was to pick at her. Make her mad and make her forget to be afraid. That was something he knew he could do well.

"Oh, right . . . you mean the_ panties_ you bought today? Kouga took care of your 'stuff' for you, remember??" He tapped her on the forehead lightly with two fingers, eliciting a blush that morphed into an outraged glare. "You haven't got any stuff!" Kagome began huff wordlessly. Standing in a strategic dismissal, knowing it would piss her off even more, he went over to the stack of boxes muttering, "Pup's hungry, where's . . ."

"Only because _you_ wouldn't let me pack!!" Kagome snapped in retort, dropping the barking puppy down to the floor. "'_Hurry the fuck up, Kagome!! Get you're ass out here, Kagome!! Leave that shit, Kagome!!'" _Her voice had dropped to a deep alto in imitation, "You were being a total jerk!!"

"There were demons dropping through the _goddamn ceiling_, wench!!" He countered, waving in the air. "Who the hell takes time to_ pack _in the middle of an attack?? Only you!!" He turned to lock her with a challenging glare.

"DON'T you go there!! Don't you DARE call me a 'stupid bitch' again!!" Kagome was up out of her seat, hands fisted stiffly at her sides.

"I only call 'em like I see 'em . . ." he muttered distractedly, digging into the boxes again, watching her from the corner of his eye.

"Why you . . . arrogant . . . domineering . . . egotistical . . ." Kagome stammered, ticking off each of his character defects one by one. InuYasha suppressed a grin. At that moment he was really glad he hadn't given her any more detail about the rosary. He was certain she would have used it.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he witnessed the continued exchange with barely repressed amusement. His eyes lifted to meet those of his Kagura, who's eyes sparkled with mirth. Leave it to his brother to break through the woman's fear by infuriating her. It was almost as if time had stood still for the pair, though he doubted either of them realized it at the moment. The miko's face had begun to redden with apparent fury, which was much more suitable than the pale terror that had been there only moments before. One thing was for certain, it would never be dull with this new addition to the family.

"Enough," the Demon commanded, just loud enough to be heard over the bickering.

Remarkably it stopped immediately, which he found most gratifying. "Any of your belongings that remain at Officer Rodriguez's will be sent for, anything else that you require shall be provided. You are remaining here, Miss Higurashi. At least until such a time as the current threat has been neutralized. Is that understood?"

"I can't do that. I have obligations, responsibilities. . ." she shook her head. "I can't just . . . disappear. What about . . ."

"You would rather be dead?" the daiyoukai rose from his seat, and found guilty satisfaction in the momentary look of horror that flashed across her delicate features. "It is imperative that you remain safe and healthy, Miss Higurashi. I do not wish to have to go hunting for my brother, because he has once again gone missing in his search for you."

"InuYasha?" Kagome's eyes didn't leave the Demon this time. "What's he talking about?"

"Asshole," InuYasha hissed. She didn't remember it all. She didn't remember enough for it to make any kind of sense, yet. Turning to her, he took her hand gently and attempted to explain. "Kagome, I promised you I would find you. We talked about it, remember? I knew you would come back, because you did it once before."

"I did?" she whispered. Her mother had said that Aunt Kagome once said they had been sisters and it hadn't made any sense, really. But her mother had once been a miko, one who knew InuYasha. Kagome's eyes widened slightly, as realization sunk in. "Kikyo . . ." she whispered. "The original guardian of the Shikon no Tama. She was . . ."

"You . . . were my first friend. The first woman I ever loved. I never stopped. You've come back to me. Three lifetimes for you, only one for me . . . so far." He shrugged, his dark eyes begging for her to understand..

"But, I'm me. I'm not them. Not really," she shook her head, her tone pleading. "I wouldn't have done this to you if I was. I . . . couldn't have." She pulled her hand away, and rubbed her forehead, her other returning to the the increasingly persistent Sacred Jewel through her blouse.

"She's overwhelmed," Kagura interjected, approaching them with her supplies in her hand. "You're expecting her to remember everything, and . . . she doesn't. She needs time InuYasha . . . _you_ need to give it to her."

"Then it is settled. She will stay here and take all the time she needs," Sesshoumaru announced quietly. "I will call and arrange for her leave, meanwhile she should rest."

"I'll show her to her rooms . . . Kagome?" Kagura held out a hand.

"What? No, wait!" InuYasha scowled, reaching for Kagome possessively."She's staying with me, damnit!"

"She's dead on her feet! She needs quiet and rest . . . " Kagura grabbed a hand.

"I need you here, InuYasha. There is much we need to discuss before my departure," Sesshoumaru added. "Let her rest, I have important work for you to do."

"Departure?? Where the hell are you going?" releasing his hold on her, InuYasha took her hand, while Kagura reached for an arm.

Kagome quietly watched what she feared might become a tug-o-war with her person. They had begun talking about her like she suddenly wasn't there. All she could do was gape, because the pulsing sensation of the Shikon had gradually increased since the arrival of the men. from simply present, as it had been with Kagura, to annoying, reaching a level of full on distraction.

"Wait . . ." Kagome insisted, pulling from Kagura's grasp. "There's something . . ." her voice drifted off, and she looked questioningly at each of them in turn.

"Council session," Sesshoumaru replied to InuYasha's question, warily watching the miko as he spoke. "The summons arrived while you . . . were . . . out."

InuYasha only half heard the reply, watching Kagome slowly approach Sesshoumaru, clasping what he knew to be the Shikon through her blouse. She stopped not a foot in front of him, and stood there as if in thought. It struck him that she seemed to be listening for something. Slowly her hand moved to the empty sleeve of his brother's sweatshirt, and tugged at it, a strained look of concentration on her face.

"Kagura!" Sesshoumaru hissed. "We discussed this . . ."

"What?" The demoness replied, defensively raising her hands. "I said nothing! Just as you asked . . ."

"Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on??" InuYasha demanded, glancing back and forth between them. "Kagome??"

"Gods . . . How do you live with it?" the miko whispered, her hands raising up to hover over the Demon's shoulders. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he watched a sympathetic tear make it's way down her cheek. "It's too much, how did this happen??"

"Do not waste your energy on this Sesshoumaru, miko," he replied more tersely than he intended. Her pity was not something he wanted to deal with. Damn Kagura for choosing now to interfere. Taking a deep breath, he restrained from shoving the woman away. Instead he grasped a shoulder and gently directed her to arm's length. "One grows accustomed to physical losses, it is of no consequence." Then glancing at his brother, he added, "Consider it Karma for youthful foolishness."

Meeting his brother's meaningful look, InuYasha's mouth gaped. Was that really how he saw losing his arm? Karma for his own foolishness?

"I'm not talking about your arm . . ." she sniffed against the tears and tugged at the sleeve, then reached up to touch his cheek and winced. "It's this . . . this darkness. It has to hurt . . ."

"Gods . . ." Kagura exhaled. "She can actually_ see it_??"

"What the hell are you all going on about??" InuYasha demanded more vehemently. "What do you see, Kagome?? Why the hell are you crying??"

"How long has it been like this?" she asked the Demon quietly, ignoring the others.

Sesshoumaru allowed himself a sigh of resignation. She saw something, which was more than anyone else had ever been able to do. It had been so long that he fought against the malevolence, it had become second nature to disregard the pain. Her attention brought it to the forefront of his mind, and he struggled to avoid an embarrassing display. Pity or no, she had asked a legitimate question. One he had no specific answer to.

"Most of my life, miko," he responded quietly, truthfully. "Since long before the death of your . . . predecessor, to be frank."

"Then over 50 years . . ." she whispered.

"Closer to 500, to be more accurate," Sesshoumaru corrected her. "I knew the miko . . . on the other side of the well." Kagome stared blankly into his eyes for a moment, the nodded with understanding.

"And you've never sought treatment in all that time?" She ran her hands just inches from his person, as though tracing his aura, reading it. He could swear he felt the touch as keenly as if her hands were on his skin. "That has got to be a record for stubbornness. You are more like your brother than I ever imagined . . ."

"I think I resent that," InuYasha muttered, fisting his hands, eyes never leaving her. Her proximity to his brother was just a little too close for comfort. Her actions just a little too intimate.

"I think I am inclined to agree with that sentiment, halfbreed", Sesshoumaru responded. InuYasha shot him a glare in return.

"Shhh . . ." Kagura shushed, receiving a glare for her trouble. "Just wait a minute."

"I will not shush!" InuYasha retorted, falling into a full pout. "I don't like being ignored, damnit. Kagome, that's enough of this bullshit! Just get away from him! He's fine!"

Kagura placed a hand on InuYasha's arm. "No, InuYasha. He isn't," she shook her head, her expression grave..

"No one knows what 'it' is, miko. You are the first to claim to see it," Sesshoumaru murmured, frozen where he stood. He ventured a glance at his brother who appeared to be vacillating between irritation and concern. When her hand came up to gently caress his cheek, it took all of his resolve to not draw away from the touch. InuYasha had begun to growl, a feeble sound from his too human throat.

"I think . . ." Kagome whispered as she cupped his face in her hands, thumbs tracing the lines of his crests. Not tattoos, as she had believed. These were as natural to the youkai as were his piercing eyes. Was this what it was like for her mother? To actually see the imbalance in the aura of a client? It was as if a poisonous cloud of energy was trying to strangle away his life force. There were points where it was nearly clear, where saffron waves struggled past the indigo. The Shikon pulsed with it's own heartbeat, nearly racing when she traced the darkest areas. His will was strong, this creature. Strong enough to endure something that would have killed a human being in no time at all.

"I can help I think . . . but it's so . . . so everywhere," she tried to suppress the doubt in her voice as her thumbs traced over his brow, then joined together on the mark on his forehead. She had never seen contamination on this level. She only knew that she had to try to do something about it. It wasn't a matter of choice, it was part of her fate. She closed her eyes and opened her heart, willing the corruption to dissipate.

Kagura's eyes cast around for the source of the wind that began blowing Sesshoumaru's hair about, her lips parting in quiet awe as she realized it was the power from the miko. She was trying to purify something invasive without harming Sesshoumaru in the process. She had no idea if the miko was powerful enough to actually purify him, but she could certainly make his life miserable if she used energy like had been in that knife she had been clutching when they arrived.

Kagome let her mind's eye guide her, clearing away the poisonous fog that seemed to permeate his body, opening the way for the saffron energy of his clear aura to emerge. Layer upon layer seemed to waft away, until suddenly there was a collision. A crackling barrier that resisted her efforts, fought against her energy. Opening her eyes, she gasped at the strength of it, then renewed her concentration attempting to break through.

The daiyoukai's eyes widened slightly. Then he took a deep breath. Her touch had sent waves all the way to the soles of his feet. It left lingering shivers along his spine. It was as though layers of a fog were being lifted off his psyche, his mind clearing, his body feeling refreshed in a way he had forgotten possible. Then came the jolt, a clashing of power deep inside, and he grunted. In his preoccupation with the sensations, he almost missed Kagome's collapse. Catching her by the upper arm, his brother was on them in a flash.

"Kagome!! What the fuck just happened??" InuYasha demanded glaring up at his brother." You never said anything about being sick, asshole!! Kagome!!" He shook her to bring her around.

"I . . . couldn't . . ." she murmured, weakly grasping onto InuYasha's arm. "too strong."

Kagura watched her mate simply stare down at the miko. It had been a powerful intervention, yet Kagome believed she had failed. Meeting Sesshoumaru's eyes, she had to believe the miko was wrong. The fine lines that had webbed around his eyes for so long, had vanished. The strained look to his countenance was relaxed. Reaching out to him, he drew her quickly into a strong embrace. If nothing else, then maybe, just maybe, the girl had bought the Taisho some more time.

"Next time, take your ass to the healer!" InuYasha rose, drawing Kagome up carry her. "Leave _my Kagome_ the fuck out of it!! She's only human, Jackass!!"

"She a remarkable woman, InuYasha." Kagura broke from Sesshoumaru's hold on her and touched the angry man's shoulder. "Anyone else would have been in a padded room by now, what she just did was nothing short of a miracle. You and I need to talk, later."

InuYasha furrowed his brow, casting a dark glower at his too silent sibling. He had no idea what a padded room was, and he didn't really give a shit. He knew his Kagome was special, no one needed to tell him that, Damn it. But he wouldn't allow her to be abused because of her gift.

Nodding to the witch agreement that he would talk to her later, he strode down the hall to the guest rooms, exhausted Kagome cradled in his arms, Junior trailing in his wake.

oo00O00oo

"You can't do that!!" Kouga roared through the wrong side of the locked sliding glass door. "This isn't how it works, Miranda!!"

"It _works_ just fine for ME!!" she shouted in response, opening the door just enough to toss a bundle of his clothes out. "GO AWAY!!" She waved a handful of lit incense sticks in his general direction before slamming and locking the door again. Kouga sputtered and sneezed most satisfactorily, then covered his nose with his forearm.

Miranda vigorously shook a set of windchimes hanging over the stationary side of the door. Kouga looked up from donning his britches with a grimace and she shouted, "Evil BE GONE!!" three times, twirling withershins each time, to undo the evil she had invited into her home. An old incantation, the witches 'do-over' she never really took seriously before. But damned if it didn't seem to be working. She was elated, as she ran through her house trying to remember all the little charms she had collected over the years to ward off evil. If he wouldn't leave on his own, then she would drive him off the old fashioned way.

Returning to the kitchen with a box of assorted paraphernalia she had collected, she began sifting through the contents looking for anything to aid in her cause. The bastard had endangered her family with his impatience and greed. It simply could not be allowed to continue. Lighting up the bundle of incense to drive him out of the house had been divine inspiration. She almost wanted to laugh at the expression on his face when she wafted the first dose right up his nose. He'd bolted for the door so fast he'd been no more than a blur, dropping his towel in the process.

"Open the damn door, Miranda!" Kouga demanded in a growl deep enough to vibrate the glass. She glanced up at him, to see him tugging at the handle.

"No!" she responded firmly. He could break it, she was sure of it. She quickly grabbed another handful of the Nag Champa and lit them. "Selene could have been seriously hurt! Those creeps destroyed the roof of her house! And it's YOUR FAULT!"

She had finally reached Selene on her cellphone, en-route to an undisclosed location since her house had been left in a shambles. She knew why it was undisclosed. Her own family didn't trust her anymore, because of the company she kept. Well, no more. She said that the bastards gone through the roof because the headshrinker had actually done some kind of warding spell on the doors. The idea was beyond belief to Miranda. She'd had no idea that he was a practitioner of any kind, yet he had managed to bar the damn doors against them. That was when she realized that if he could do that, then surely she could do the same. And low and behold it was working. At least so far.

"Miranda," the low rumble of his voice reverberated through the room. She looked up again to see him leaning his head on the door. Too close, she prayed he wouldn't crash through the glass before she found some kind of ward. The smoke of the incense was merely irritating to him, not enough to keep him away indefinitely, and her supply would eventually run out. It wasn't doing her sinuses any favors either, truth be told. Digging more frantically into the box, she withdrew an old book she had picked up at flea market several years before. She stared at the tome for several moments, trying to remember why she had decided to buy it. It's appearance was weathered and ancient, the embossed leather cover adorned with a golden pentacle surrounded by odd symbols at each point.

"Miranda . . ." Kouga's forehead was pressed against the glass, his vibrant eyes locked on her every move. " . . .I love you." He dragged his claws down the glass, his tone clearly one of warning, not yearning. "Please, don't do this."

He had never actually said those words to her before, and the seriousness of his tone infuriated her. He should be begging her forgiveness, not warning her. But this was Kouga. Kouga took what he wanted, and beat the tar out of anything or anyone that got in his way. He'd shown her his true colors, and it was a little too late for him to be making confessions of love.

"You don't know what love is!!" She barked back at him, her sneer revealing her fangs. "You said you loved Kagome, too!! And _still_ you ordered her execution!!"

"I did no such thing!!" He bellowed. "I don't even KNOW that woman!! All I ordered was for them to bring her to me!! What the hell has gotten into everybody?? First Ginta and his shit, and now you!! I didn't order _anyone's _execution!! Will you get that through your head??"

Trying to ignore him, Miranda set the book on the table and traced her fingers over the pentacle. Opening the cover, she ran a finger down the table of contents. He was trying to get to her, to manipulate her. She didn't understand half of what was written on the yellowed page. She was going to have to do research just to decipher the thing. Glancing up at the demon, she found herself doing what Father Joe, her family's onetime parish priest, had always warned against. She found herself arguing with The Devil.

"Admit it Kouga," she didn't raise her voice this time. She knew he could hear every word as clearly as if she were speaking into his ear. "Love is a thing of convenience for you. You 'love' whomever can give you what _you_ want. Based on what they can dofor_ you_."

"Not true!" he barked through the door, rattling it, testing it. "What you do is how I found you, what brought us together. I know where the Shikon is now, and I'm still here. It's _you_ pushing _me _away, not the other way around!"

"So . . . LEAVE!!" she bellowed. He was trying to turn it around on her. She was determined to not falter. Outside the door he couldn't touch her. She was so addicted to him, his touch was her undoing. Yet at the same time she was terrified of his violence.

"Someone . . . has to watch out for you," he pressed a palm to the glass. "It's not safe for you to be alone, Miranda."

"I can watch out for myself! _I . . . don't . . . need . . . you!!_" her insides twisted with her proclamation. A tiny voice in her head reprimanded her for the lie. Kouga's eyes widened, and he backed away from the door shaking his head.

"Fine. Go ahead and play the independent bitch . . ." he took another step back. "I told you the truth the day I claimed you."

"What _truth_??" she demanded. He'd spouted off so much he'd practically turned her brain to jelly that morning.

"The truth is, _I . . . _need _. . . you_ . . ." and he turned and disappeared so quickly she couldn't tell which direction he had gone.

Running to the door, she peered out into the darkness, her heart ramming in her chest. He really had left her. Instead of the relief she had expected, she felt bereft and completely alone. It astounded her that he could not seem to comprehend how he had hurt her by being so impulsive. It astounded her even more that now that he was gone, all she wanted was for him to come back.

Collapsing onto the floor, she curled herself into a ball and sobbed.

_8888888888_

_To be continued . . ._

_A/N:: I have an announcement!! You can now visit my livejournal to get review responses, occasional notes and spoilers for upcoming chapters, as well as news about Awards and stories in the works. Just metsukikaraten dot livejournal dot com. Hope to see you there! _


	47. Chapter Forty Six

DISCLAIMER:: The characters of InuYasha are the property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. The others are mine. I make no money from this in any way, shape or form.

AN:: Reviews are love!! For review responses visit me at my livejournal!!

FINDING KAGOME

Chapter 46

The exhausted miko secure in his arms, InuYasha made his way up the stairs toward her assigned quarters, his mind racing with confusion. He needed to have that talk with Kagura sooner than later, he determined. The idea that Sesshoumaru could even conceivably be ill was more than his mind could wrap itself around.

InuYasha's brow furrowed as he considered possibilities. Sesshoumaru had a good 700 years on him, but youkai didn't age in the human sense. The only examples he even had of old youkai had been Totosai and Myoga, both contemporaries of his late father. Neither of them ever seemed to get sick. That is if you disregarded Totosai's selective memory, which InuYasha was convinced had never been more than an act. Or Myoga's tendency toward long winded, scholarly explanations, which had always been quickly remedied with a good squishing. Certainly Sesshoumaru had aged, but that should not have made him weak. He recalled his denial when Sesshoumaru referred to himself as an "old youkai" while trying to convince him to stay and allow the help in the search for Kagome.

Now that he finally had the woman in his arms it should be over. They should be able to move forward with their lives. But no, there had to be complications. As if the damn Shikon wasn't bad enough. Always more complications. It seemed to be his fate. And apparently now, one of those complications was directly related to his brother's health, of all things. Why couldn't life ever be simple?

Thinking back to the condition Sesshoumaru had been in after battle with Ayame, actually _injured _and _limping_, the normally fastidiously groomed former Lord of the Western Lands had been covered in gore. InuYasha wondered if he had really been so wrapped up in his own misery that he had been blinded to the now obvious signs that something was terribly wrong. Sesshoumaru had, after all, taken the bitch out relatively easily, or so it seemed. Though he had to admit, his memory of the events was pretty spotty after dropping Tessaiga. Even the fact that InuYasha had felt the _need _to offer to carry the limping youkai back to the car hadn't sunk into his thick skull until now. Perhaps witnessing Sesshoumaru's fucked up method of disciplining his driver had shaken him up more than he realized.

Then days later, after seeing Kagome's apartment he had been so furious with Kouga that he didn't even think to questioned how it was possible that the stinking wolf had managed to actually touch, let alone _injure_ his brother. Sesshoumaru could move faster than the eye could follow. The only way InuYasha had ever been able to hit him during their feuding period had been with the Wind Scar, even then missing his target more often than not. Kouga was fast, but not faster than Sesshoumaru. Especially without the aid of Sacred Jewel shards. Yet he had managed to rip a bleeding gash into Sesshoumaru's side. Then the fucking idiot wolf had gone so far as to promise to finish the job some undetermined time in the future. That arrogant piece of shit. Kouga _really_ deserved to die. And soon.

"You know, I can't understand half of what you're saying," a murmur came from against his shoulder, derailing his train of thought. "The few words I do understand, I wouldn't want to repeat in nice company."

"Keh," InuYasha grunted, his ears warming with embarrassment. Until that moment he hadn't realized that he had been muttering to himself in Japanese. Now he knew for sure he was seriously losing it, talking to himself out loud. And in front of Kagome no less. Great. Just fucking great.

"Are you _really_ that mad at me?" Kagome asked tiredly.

"What? No!" he replied a little too forcefully, but her question brought him back to his initial reason for being so pissed off. Pausing at the top of the stairs, he reconsidered his reply. "Fuck, yes, damn it!" He looked down at her, noting the shadows of exhaustion around her eyes. She'd been through enough for one day, and yet she had insisted on trying to do even more. "I told you to get the hell away from him and you _ignored_ me," he muttered. "So, yeah. I'm a little fuckin' unhappy about that."

Junior yipped from the bottom of the stairs, and InuYasha chuffed low in response. He glanced down to make certain that the sound from his stupid human throat had been understood. The pup wanted attention, but now was not the time. He needed to address this problem Kagome seemed to have with listening to him. Then he would tend to the pup. Whining, Junior about faced and scampered back down the hallway below.

Resuming his trek along the wide hallway of the second floor, he spotted the door to the 'Rose Room' where Kagome would be staying. There was another reason to be pissed off. She'd been assigned her _own room, _on the opposite side of the mansion from his quarters. He'd brought her home just to be kept away from her, the reminder of which did nothing to improve his mood.

"It's just like the thing with the reporter," Kagome murmured sadly, "only this time there weren't any cameras recording it. You just don't want me to help people."

"The hell!" he sputtered as he pushed open the door to her room. Roughly depositing her on the floral comforter, she gasped with surprise. He clutched her chin none too gently to force her to face him. "Look at me," he hissed, eyes flashing as she moved to pull away. "He's dangerous, and if you had a lick of sense in that . . ." his voice softened slightly as he noted a sheen in her eyes, "in that beautiful head of yours, you'd know that."

"But, he's your brother . . ." she began to protest.

"_Which _until very recently," he interrupted harshly, releasing her chin, "meant absolutely _nothing_ to him."

"But, what about . . . to you?" she inquired quietly with a sniffle. Glaring at her in silence for several heartbeats, he scowled at his inability to readily respond to the simple question and looked away. He honestly wasn't sure _how_ he felt about Sesshoumaru right now, and the hint of tears in her eyes was taking the wind out of his sails. He wanted to make a point, not make her cry.

She pressed on a little more boldly, "I know you call each other mean names, terrible names. But I'm not blind, InuYasha. I see how much you respect him, look up to him."

"Bullshit," he negated as he slumped to sit beside her, considering her words. The bastard was manipulative and pushy. Sure, he'd begun to trust him more, and he _had_ helped make the search for Kagome go faster. It wasn't the asshole's fault that she had pushed herself too far. After all, he had tried to push her away at first. In some ways he was becoming the _Aniki _that InuYasha had always secretly wished for. But look up to him? That would be admitting that Sesshoumaru was better, and he would never do that. Even if he secretly suspected it to be true, he would never give the asshole the satisfaction. "I don't look up that far, he's not so much taller than I am. That's not the point, Kagome... "

"I'm not talking about your height, silly." Then she smiled, her darkened eyes sparkled and he could swear the sun had begun to shine in the twilit room. In the back of his mind he knew she was dodging his reprimand, but the swelling in his heart nullified the need press the issue. Reaching to touch his folded arms, Kagome grew serious again. "I also see how important you are to him. He really wants you to be happy. Even if it means taking me hostage to keep me close to you."

"You aren't a hostage, damn it! I wish you'd stop talking like that. You're under our protection until this Ookami crap is over with." Hopefully by that time, she would _want_ to stay by his side. Although, close by her definition and his, appeared to be two different things. This room was not close. Her eyes downcast, he watched her for a silent moment. One thing was for sure, he needed to do something about their current sleeping arrangements. Having her across the mansion at night was not going to be acceptable.

For now though, he supposed it was good that she could rest while he conferred with the healer. He wished he had Kirara to watch over her while she slept. But that was a bridge he'd burned centuries ago, right alongside Shippou. He had been able to trust them completely. Kagura being so near put his teeth on edge, and he still had reservations about Sesshoumaru. That bastard was up to something.

He pondered how much more pushy Sesshoumaru was going to be, now that Kagome seemed to have helped him to feel better. Would he be able to trust him once Kouga was no longer their mutual enemy?

"You really don't remember anything about Sesshoumaru, do you?" At the solemn shaking of her head, a very uncomfortable knot began to form in his stomach. "You remembered me, Kagome. I could see it in your eyes the first time we met. And they told me you had memory of Kouga. That prick doesn't deserve for you to remember him." He watched her thoughtful expression. "There's a lot about Sesshoumaru that you _should_ remember . . ."

All she had was a handful of watered down stories to go by. She really didn't remember. Not enough to avoid danger. Kami, she had been close enough to Kouga to have his scent all over her. He shuddered as he thought of her secret plan to try to go through the well, to try to find 'the hanyou'. Watching her expression change to one of concern, his knot in his gut worked its way up into his throat nearly choking him. He couldn't lose her again. He needed desperately for her to just _wake up._

"You know, you're acting like I have amnesia, InuYasha," she stroked his arm, softening the sting of what she said. "I thought you were the one that was supposed to have that problem," she offered with a grin at his eye-rolled response. "It was another life – a lifetime half a world away – I don't know if people are even _supposed_ to remember their past lives. Most don't, you know." She studied his arm in thought, and then suddenly looked up. "Did Kagome remember anything about Kikyo's life?" Her head tilted to the side slightly as she mentioned the other two women, like one would indicate another person of the same name or distinction. It was becoming a habit when she mentioned the previous Shikon no Miko. Now he was beginning to understand, that was precisely her intent. In her mind they _were_ different women.

Maybe Sesshoumaru had been right. Maybe she really wasn't the same girl.

"No, she didn't in the beginning," he replied sullenly. "If she had she would have never pulled that arrow out of my chest."

"Wait... wasn't Kikyo murdered?" Kagome's brow furrowed with alarmed confusion. "But, are you saying Kikyo was the one who sealed you to Goshinboku? Why would she..."

"She had her reasons! When Kagome found out why, she stood up for me, defended me," he caught himself nodding to the side, a mirror of her own habit when indicating her aunt, and hated himself for it. "She saved me more than once. You say I am a hero. I'm no hero..." for a brief moment he felt the tug of grief on his heart, "To me Kagome was the real hero." And she was still gone. Until the day this woman in front of him could remember their lives together, who she really is, Kagome would remain gone. He had to find a way to wake her up from the _sleep_ this new life had over her.

"InuYasha?" The gentle warmth of her voice drew him back from the painful feelings of loss. "What's wrong?" A chilled hand brushed lightly at his cheek.

"Its nothing," he lied, his voice no more than a croak. Taking her hand in both of his, he sniffed noisily and rubbed it to warm it up. "Just tired. Still a lot to get done, too." With a sigh he added, "Remind me one of these days to tell you the _real_ story." If she didn't remember their history, then he would teach it to her. Whatever it took.

Lowering her hand back to her lap, he moved to rise from the bed and do the _right thing_, and leave her alone to rest. But he found himself immobilized by a miko's grip on his errant forelocks. Locked in front of her face, he couldn't disguise his shock. For being a different person, the act was too hauntingly familiar.

"Wait!" she gasped urgently. He couldn't help his surprise at her wide eyed blush when she realized what she had done. "I... I'm sorry." She released his hair and wrung her hands together in embarrassment. "I just ... I want you to stay."

"Kagome" he whispered, afraid to trust his voice. Stroking her cheek, he took her still joined hands into his and brought them up to brush his lips.

"Please?" she implored. "Just for a little while."

"Promise, no more talking?" He murmured against her fingers. At her nod he scooted up beside her and fluffed her pillow. "You'll get sick if you don't get some sleep. I'll stay a bit . . . until you start snoring." The healer could wait. Kagura would have to wait. Whatever devious torture Sesshoumaru had planned for him could definitely wait. Kagome would always come first, and anyone who didn't like it could go straight to hell.

"Snoring, huh? Then you'll be here a long time," she giggled lightly, scooting down under the covers, "because I never snore . . ." She pulled them back in invitation for him to climb under with her. InuYasha froze, staring at the sheets. "InuYasha, I'm cold... help me warm up, please?" The request sounded so innocent, and even though he had shared her bed at Sally's, something about this was different.

"So when was the last time you stayed awake to see if you _do_ snore?" he asked, hesitantly slipping between the sheets and pulling her close. She _was _cold. Even through the fabric of his hakama her toes were like little pebbles of ice against his legs.

"I don't remember," she murmured before yawning into his shoulder. "But I can irrefutably say that I _do not_ snore... now, _you_ on the other hand..."

"Hey, didn't I say no more talking?" he interrupted with a grin against her neck, turning her and pulling her closer to spoon against him.

If this wasn't his Kagome, then why did he crave her touch so much? If this girl wasn't his mate, then why did his heart leap in his chest every time she smiled? Why did she fit so perfectly against his body? Why did he feel this overwhelming sense of having finally arrived... _home_. The warmth that began to radiate between them only solidified those feelings of _home_ as he cradled her against his chest.

"Mmm, this is nice . . ." she murmured sleepily, resting her head on his arm, and he tightened his hold around her waist thinking, _mine_. She wriggled her backside against him, settling in as he hugged her closer and he barely suppressed a groan. Yes, this was definitely different. His discomfort aside, she needed to sleep.

"You need to stop that, wench."

"M'kay, not another word," she murmured around a yawn, then dragged her cheek against the fabric covering his upper arm, squirming against him once more.

"I didn't mean the talkin'" he ground out around another near moan. When he pointedly pressed his awakening arousal against her rear, Kagome gasped and stilled immediately. Smirking against her hair, he elaborated, "Best not start something you aren't in any condition to finish." He could feel her heart hammering against her ribcage, and knew he had made his point. He was also pretty certain he had just scared the living crap out of her. At that he frowned. He never wanted to scare her, or make her sad.

When she twisted to face him, peer at him with half lidded eyes, he was certain he was dreaming. "I'm sorry, InuYasha. I just..." then she nipped at his chin.

"Your doin' this shit on purpose," he observed registering the longing in her eyes. It was suddenly no longer a matter of choice, and he kissed her, soundly and thoroughly. She tasted of innocent seduction with a hint of mint tea, and it opened a floodgate from his heart to his groin. Rolling to his back, he pulled her to rest on top of him, losing all sense of reality with the feel of her in his arms. There was nothing else in the world but this moment. She straddled a thigh and framed his face with cool hands, beginning her own assault on his mouth. He raised a knee, allowing himself to feel the heat radiating from her through their unshed clothing. Gods, she was as hungry for him as he was for her. Two once lost, starving souls, rediscovering their home in each other.

The urgency as they consumed one another's mouths fought with the building urgency as they slowly rocked against each other. The tingling sensation as his nether region began to tighten and triggered something in his mind which brought him shockingly back to reality. No. Not now. Almost as if someone had thrown a bucket of water on him, he wanted to scream. Instead he moaned in protest of his own sensibilities, and broke his claim of her swollen lips, declaring breathlessly as he loosened his unconscious grip on her behind, "I'm gonna make you pay for this, wench."

"Is that a threat or a promise, dog-boy?" She panted, wrinkling her nose in frustration.

"Consider it a promise," he murmured, threading his fingers into her hair. "First you need to sleep. Are you warm enough now?" She nodded and he tucked her head under his chin, whispering hoarsely, "Then to to sleep, koishii."

"Mm'kay" she murmured. "Koishii... _beloved_." She traced circles on his chest with her fingertips then whispered, "Aishiteru, InuYasha."

On hearing her say the word, he kissed her hair then stroked her back gently between her shoulder blades. She was his, but now was not the time to seal their union. Regardless of how much he needed her, she was in no condition to take that step. He needed her to remember what they had meant to one another. He needed to be absolutely certain that she understood what their mating would mean.

Because, this time, he would settle for nothing less.

As he waited patiently for her breathing to even, he succumbed to the weight of his own eyelids, and the last thing he heard was a faintly whispered, "Its okay, I know."

oo00O00oo

The hospital had been a zoo. Even the attending nurse, full of her own distractions, had compared it to a full moon. The woman had been so out of sorts, she simply smiled and nodded her wheat colored curls when Michael had flirted shamelessly with her. Selene would have added another knot to his head if she'd known of a spot on it that wasn't already lumpy. His right arm had indeed been broken, and now he was sporting a fresh cast and a very disgruntled expression.

She asked him to explain to her exactly why he had refused to ask for Kagome's help, and he had replied with a confusing monologue about moths, 'pink junk' and 'prolonging the inevitable'. Completely confused, Selene attributed his disjointed ramblings to exhaustion, pain and more than likely too much tequila. The adrenaline rush of fending off their attackers had apparently masked the effects of the alcohol, since he had become rather rummy while they sat in the waiting room.

He'd napped in the examination room while awaiting the lab and x-ray results, and though she didn't envy his condition, she did envy that he at least had a pillow. When the pretty nurse caught him sleeping, she had lectured them both about the dangers of falling asleep with a head injury, citing another patient who still hadn't awakened after several hours of observation. This seemed to sober Michael bit, and he opted to sit up for the rest of the wait.

They had begun to talk in a code of sorts, after the nurse had walked into the middle of a discussion on what Kouga's ultimate intentions were with Miranda. The young woman didn't react well to an overheard comment regarding the attack on Kagome, and even froze momentarily in the process of taking Michael's vitals at Selene's mention of Caleb. Perhaps there had been something on the news about him, and it dawned on her that their new friend might be just a bit too high-profile to discuss in public. Consequently, all open discussion of youkai or their motivations had been curtailed until Michael's release.

Selene couldn't pinpoint the reason for the acute sense of foreboding that had begun plaguing her after they left the hospital. The events of the previous night seemed to have draped a curtain of surrealism on everything, which was only compounded by her lack of proper sleep. Enough so that the darkened entrance to alleyways, alcoves in buildings, even the rooftops high above appeared to be animate, menacing. Even the odd stray wandering the streets drew suspicion. The overall effect was a heightened sense of awareness of everything as they made their way to what they both hoped would be the relative safety of Michael's apartment.

Michael, his unbruised eye dark with fatigue, was focused on the impending meeting with his advisor. It was scheduled for 'first thing' this morning, which would mean around 8 a.m. when faculty arrived at the University. Only a couple of hours away. Selene had tried to talk him into postponing, but he wouldn't hear of it. Apparently his advisor was very intolerant of anything she deemed to be procrastination.

"Okay, so would it be easier if I went with you?" Selene glanced into the rear view mirror, and gently braked for a red light, not wanting to jar Michael any more than absolutely necessary. As the car came to a complete stop, she glanced to find him frowning.

"Now that would be a fine impression to make," he muttered, absently drumming the fingers of his left hand against his fresh cast. "No, this is my problem to fix. She'll either believe me, or she'll have me locked up." He chuckled mirthlessly.

"Maybe if I was there to corroborate . . ." Selene ventured quietly, scanning the early morning shadows. The sun had not quite finished its ascent over the hills to the east, and though the sodium street lamps were still active on the shadowed streets, they provided little to no light. Moving deeper into the city towards Michael's apartment, the buildings loomed oppressively. Danger was everywhere.

The number of stray dogs seemed to be increasing, which struck her as odd. Registering a similarity in their appearance drew her darting glances. There was a leash ordinance within the city limits, and she wondered why they hadn't been picked up by the overnight patrols. Probably more budget cuts. No more 24 hour animal control patrols. She wondered if perhaps there was a dog show in town and some had gotten loose. They looked like a large breed of husky, and seemed to be traveling in small groups. It would be worth a call into headquarters once they arrived at Michael's. She didn't want to stop and waste time cajoling dogs into her car. Not after the strange events of the last two days.

As she approached an intersection, a pair on a corner took notice of the car. The larger of the two raised his head up attentively and for a moment her eyes locked with those of the canine, and it brought a shiver up her spine. Not only did the dog _appear_ to be intelligently examining the passing vehicle, but for a moment, there was a harrowing familiarity to its eyes. The image branded itself in her mind. She was accumulating a veritable catalog of 'snapshots' like that. Not the least of which was the strange creature that had accosted Kagome in her own home.

She cringed slightly at the memory of her cavalier approach to the beast, still high on their swiftly coordinated defeat of his accomplice, which couldn't have been better if it had been choreographed. She and Michael had each been arms on the same body, and in retrospect she realized it had been mostly reflex. It was if they had been doing this sort of thing regularly for years together. Gripping the steering wheel a little tighter, she had to admit she didn't have that same level of confidence now.

"Windham can't lock you up, monk. Look at the company she keeps," she commented distractedly. Speaking of canine, Caleb was half Inu-youkai. Dog demon. So his strange and reclusive brother would have to be. . . "I mean, she was right there _with_ Seth when he called Caleb that first time . . ." Signaling to turn left, she let her gaze rest on Michael briefly. He hadn't changed position, still hugging his arm, but the drumming against the cast had ceased. He hadn't seemed to notice the dogs, which she noted with relief were far behind them now.

"You have a point." There was an ounce of hope in his expression as he looked up at her. "Do you think she already knows what he is? Oh, hell. Of course she doesn't . . ." he shook his head before she could respond, and adopted the look of a man on his way to the gallows. "She'll have me locked up for sure . . . _DAMN!_"

"Why don't you do what I did when I called in," Selene offered, pulling up to the entrance of the parking garage, and rolling down her window to scan her key card. Time waiting for him to get his arm cast had been well spent, with a call to the precinct and a message left on Seth Inudono's voice mail to tell Kagome to call her. The silly woman's refusal to own a cell phone could be so frustrating. "Just tell her that your friend is in trouble, and you and I are doing everything we can to help her. She doesn't have to know the rest of it."

"Won't work, not with her. _Don't be_ _so damned co-dependent, Mike,_" his mocking falsetto drew a raised brow from his beloved, as she maneuvered up the ramps of the parking garage. "She'd lecture me about getting myself too involved; tell me to call in the authorities." Michael laid his head back against the seat and glared out at the shadows. "_A good therapist only suggests alternatives, we don't fix people. Without your own life in order, you are worthless to help anyone..._" He waived a delicately poised hand through the air in mimicry of one of his advisor's odd little mannerisms.

"Gah! Kagome's the closest thing you've got to a sister!" Selene countered. "She's not having a breakdown, she's being attacked!" Pulling into a parking stall, she killed the engine. Her tone softening, she continued, "Not wanting you to help a friend in trouble would be like telling someone to leave their dieing mother to the doctors, and get their ass back to work . . . surely she isn't that much of a taskmaster."

"You don't know her, Sally. There's a reason that Caleb calls her a witch," he informed her as he awkwardly reached for the handle of the door. "But Kagome's problems are just the tip of the iceberg. How do I explain to this woman, a _behavioral scientist_, that I've recently discovered that I am the reincarnation of a Buddhist monk, and that I have certain spiritual powers that allow me to fight demons? It sounds like a damn precursor to a _messianic_ complex!! Oh, yes and of course, my fiancé is a kick-ass demon slayer, and my best friend's a priestess that can heal pretty much anything that still has a heartbeat. There we go. That will be very convincing," he muttered sarcastically, glowering at the cast. "I have to do this. Alone. I just wish it wasn't right after a night like last night."

"I don't want you to go alone, monk. I can't tell you why, but I've got a bad feeling." Their eyes met briefly, and she _knew _that his meeting was going to change everything. How or what she had no idea, but it would effect every other person in their circle.

Selene shook herself to clear her mind, jumping when her .phone rang. Cursing her skittishness she answered it hoping that it was Kagome. Michael climbed out of the car while she wordlessly listened to the call. I was not Kagome, and she was unprepared for the onslaught her ears received. After a few moments of non-committal noises uttered in response, she pressed the end call and stared up at Michael with disbelief.

"Miranda just threw Kouga out. She sounds really bad. I've never heard her go on like that." She shook her head in awed disbelief. "I guess you're on your own after all, monk. She needs me."

oo00O00oo

Sesshoumaru stood quietly by the doorway to the infirmary, as he watched his physician and most trusted confident examine his younger brother. Large sausage fingers pulled down under darkened eyes, tugged on rounded ears, tapped against ribs, as Beorn poked, prodded and listened with a variety of specialized instruments. Sesshoumaru did not envy his sibling, having had much to do with such instruments himself in recent years. Beorn had become his most reliable mentor when it came to working around his gradually depleting condition. The Bear had spared no effort in trying to diagnose the malady, utilizing every known modern technique and state-of-the-art device, diligently searching for a cure, all to no avail. But the simple touch of human had reversed centuries of decline. Remarkably, it had been the same woman that had purified InuYasha without real intention.

Unsurprisingly, he had found InuYasha splayed out on the miko's bed, with the girl draped over him like a blanket, both snoozing away contentedly, if not rather noisily. Between the two of them, he was surprised the walls weren't vibrating. It was obvious that they were both completely wrung out; however it was imperative that he know the level of permanency to InuYasha's condition prior to leaving for the Inquisition. The Council would undoubtedly refuse his claim of InuYasha as Heir should he remain permanently human.

He had watched with interest, when upon waking his brother had slipped his pillow down to the side and gently laid the miko specifically to nuzzle against it. Sesshoumaru had never before realized the importance of scent recognition in Human Beings, and found his brother's actions fascinating. The two had been together such a short time, but the bond between them appeared to be surprisingly strong. Perhaps there was some validity to the seeming nonsense InuYasha had been spouting about pair bonding beyond one lifetime.

If Sesshoumaru hadn't known better, he would have thought that his brother suffered from a hangover. Puffy face and darkened eyes squinted against the light as they made their way toward the infirmary, intentional evasion of his curious sidelong glances. Unsure if InuYasha was embarrassed at being discovered with the miko or angry for some imagined violation against him, Sesshoumaru decided it was best to not ask. Thus the trek to the infirmary had for the most part been silent, barring the occasional, explosive, and expressly muculent sneeze which seemed to overtake the hanyou en route. Sesshoumaru did nothing to disguise his disgust as he watched his brother run a wrist below his nose, and then wipe it nervously on his shirt with a sheepish grin. Perhaps it was something Beorn could medicate. One thing he knew beyond doubt, there would be an element of hygiene introduced into InuYasha's curriculum immediately.

"Oi!! You're magin me feel like a fuggin horse up for sale!!" The nasal exclamation drew Sesshoumaru back to the moment. InuYasha plucked at the thumb pulling at his upper lip to examine his teeth. It seemed to be the final straw for his brother. Running his sleeve across his again running nose, the dark haired hanyou tried unsuccessfully to pull in air through blocked nostrils, and then hacked oddly, apparently in an effort to unblock the obstruction. Sesshoumaru grimaced with open disgust at the display.

"Now, now, InuYasha... be a good boy and I'll give you carrot," cajoled the healer, his grin not quite reaching his eyes as he observed the man with a hint of concern. Sesshoumaru glanced around and spied a box of tissue on a nearby table. Grabbing it, he casually tossed it at his uncouth brother's head, to have it caught in midair before it connected, thanks to the half-breed's unfettered reflexes. Maybe that would be enough of a hint for the philistine. InuYasha only offered him a sneer in thanks, before blowing his nose loudly into a handful of tissues.

Raising a small flashlight Beorn commanded InuYasha's attention again. "At the risk of sounding cliché, open up and say _AH_. It appears that in your weakened state you've contracted a viral infection."

"Geh!" InuYasha responded somewhat nasally. "My dose always feels stuffed up when I'mb like dis." He frowned, tilting his head and looking around for the source of the stunted sound his voice was making. "Whud da hell?"

"Excessive mucous, elevated temp, adenoids are swollen, membrane's irritated here, see?" The physician leaned back to allow Sesshoumaru a look down InuYasha's throat. Instead the Demon waved his hand, declining the offer with distaste. He really didn't need any more of a visual than he was already getting. Beorn seemed to find that amusing, chuckling as he rolled his ancient wheeled stool to a cabinet. Pulling out a bottle he shook a capsule into a small paper cup, getting up to pull some water from the tap.

"I take it you've never had a cold before," Beorn observed, returning to his patient. Patting InuYasha on the shoulder reassuringly, he presented him with the smaller cup. "Take this, it'll relieve the symptoms."

"You gan geep dat shit," InuYasha slurred, motioning to the cup of water, before he took the pill and forced it down. "I hate dat nasty stuff! It don't even taste like water. Comes out of a pipe from Kami knows where... you gan just... geep it."

"I never realized you had such discerning tastes, little brother," Sesshoumaru commented with a hint of sarcasm.

"I never knew dat's where it game from," InuYasha replied, nodding toward the small sink. "More like survival instinct, it smells off and tastes worse; I'll stig to the bottled stuff." He hacked gain, trying to clear his throat. "How long till that pill starts working?" he asked with annoyance.

"Give it about half an hour or so. I'll need some blood for analysis, roll up your sleeve," the Bear replied. When InuYasha glared at him in disbelief, he added, "That is if you want answers."

"Oh hell!! I fuggin' hate needles!!" InuYasha glared at the physician then at Sesshoumaru. "You didn't say he was gonna stig me again!!" Again he sniffed noisily, and as he raised his arm to use his sleeve again, Sesshoumaru grabbed the box of tissue and smacked it into his chest with a pointed glare.

"Okay, let's talk about this," Beorn sat again on his stool facing his patient, the extractor settled on his lap. "Let me tell you what I know so far without a specimen. I understand your girlfriend did this to you, is that right?"

"Don't gall her that. She's not just a girlfriend, damn it." InuYasha muttered hoarsely, eying the mechanism of torture on the healer's leg.

"Alright then, whatever she is to you, this woman has in her possession an artifact that made this possible. It stands to reason that repeated, prolonged exposure to that relic, that _Sacred Jewel_, would hinder your ability to return to your normal form." Beorn had a look of distaste as he mentioned the Shikon no Tama by its common name.

"That gan't be right," InuYasha shook his head and glanced over at Sesshoumaru. "I gan't make her give up the Shikon."

"A full analysis of your blood will help us to know one way or the other," the doctor rose, apparatus in hand. "It helps if you look away."

InuYasha balked, backing up mere inches on the examination table. Sesshoumaru found it amazing that a man who had survived gaping wounds – some of which he, Sesshoumaru had inflicted - yet had continued fighting, was now cowering from a simple poke in his arm. Sesshoumaru pondered the validity of using his brother's own tactic against him. Perhaps angering him with an insult would divert his attention.

"Shall I state it from _my_ perspective, _little brother? _The value of what will be learned far outweighs the momentary discomfort that you face. Honestly, you are disappointing me, InuYasha." The daiyoukai grinned maliciously, "Either submit, _puppy_, or your _Aniki_ will have to hold you down."

"You're such a bastard..." InuYasha growled, glaring. Hesitantly he complied and raised his sleeve, tensing with a cringe worthy of an impending explosion. Beorn followed through swiftly with the device, not even attempting to hide his amusement.

"I'm serious about staying away from the girl, InuYasha," the physician sobered markedly. "She can't possibly be helping your recovery, especially with that relic. I understand that you feel the need to help her, just keep your distance while doing it. Got it?"

Sesshoumaru stared blankly at his healer. Had he actually just prescribed that InuYasha stay away from his mate? The flash of horror that registered on his brother's face confirmed that the daiyoukai had indeed heard correctly.

"Are you quite finished?" InuYasha demanded while pulling his sleeve back down into place, his jaw now in a grim set. At Beorn's nod, he slid off the table, pure indignation in human form, "Good, 'cause you can _both_ go right to hell."

As InuYasha stormed out of the door, Beorn snorted and motioned for Sesshoumaru to quickly close the portal for privacy. Once it was fully closed the great bear burst out into a full bout of belly shaking laughter.

"I fail to see the humor," Sesshoumaru drawled raising an irritated brow at his friend. "Nor do I see why that was necessary."

"He's just entirely too much fun to provoke," the bear chortled, "I couldn't resist. Oh hell, Sesshoumaru, you've said as much yourself, with your tales of battles over that sword of his. And you!! You're one to be pointing fingers!! Who assigned that girl a room clear across the mansion from him? I'd be pretty annoyed about that, myself!" With a wheezing gasp, the physician grabbed a tissue and wiped at a laughter induced tear.

"That was the Lady's call. Take it up with her," the daiyoukai looked away dismissively.

Kagura had determined after speaking with the girl that she had been well raised and it was only appropriate that they have separate sleeping arrangements. In addition, he could not argue his mate's logic when she suggested that the separation could well be instrumental in hastening InuYasha's bonding with the girl. Sesshoumaru could not shake the feeling that a bond would have interfered with, if not completely prevented the hanyou's purification.

"Anyway, maybe the girl will lose that blasted jewel if they think it's responsible. I for one am not entirely convinced that it isn't. Just having the damn thing in the house makes me uncomfortable."

"You are not the only one," the daiyoukai replied absently. "However, Kagura is of the mind that as long as Miss Higurashi is in possession of it, all will be well. Surprisingly. It is definitely not something to be simply lost."

"After all that you've told me Kagura's been through, I'm amazed she is even allowing the girl in the house at all," Beorn muttered, keying in the analysis sequence in his portable unit. "I should have some answers in a couple of hours. Now, are you going to explain to me exactly what happened last night?"

"I have endured your examination, is that not enough?" Sesshoumaru opened the door again. "I have no more answers than I have given. I quite honestly... do not know. Only that with her touch the malaise began to dissipate." He examined his hand for a moment, and then announced, "I will be traveling to the session on my own volition, for the first time in nearly two centuries."

"Do you think that wise?" Beorn looked up from the analysis unit. "You yourself said that the girl met with resistance, that it wasn't complete." At the Youkai's cold stare, he simply shrugged. "Of course, you'd be the best judge, since I can't seem to find anything. All the deterioration has appeared to have receded..."

"But..." Sesshoumaru prompted. He had trusted this demon with his life for nearly a century. Though the improvement of his condition was remarkable, he would consider what advice the physician offered.

Beorn's sigh was one of frustration. "There's no way to tell how long it will last. Unlike with InuYasha's condition, I have no way to determine the permanence of this 'healing'."

Poised at the door, Sesshoumaru pondered momentarily on the possibility that he would decline again. If that were to be the case, he determined that he would enjoy his returned vigor for as long as it lasted. Until it became certain one way or the other, he would continue with his current course with the Council as well. Providing InuYasha's results could prove that his current form was not to remain permanent. It was his habit to examine all possible outcomes and prepare for each the best way possible.

A muted scuffling from down the hall accompanied by a round of loud yaps from the puppy broke into his thoughts. It sounded as though someone were arguing, or perhaps pleading was better word, and Sesshoumaru raised a brow. He discerned the owners of the voices, and rolled his eyes. It was Thomas and Laura attempting to calm InuYasha down.

"SESSHOUMARU, YOU PRETENTIOUS PRICK!!" came a graveled bellow from the same direction. "GET YOUR ASS IN HERE AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!"

"His vocabulary seems to be coming along quite nicely," the doctor commented casually looking up from putting his instruments away. "Nice work, old man."

"He will have the entire staff scattering for cover," the daiyoukai replied with irritation, glancing down the hallway. "He's apparently discovered the summons. It specifically mentions my request regarding Rights of Succession." The daiyoukai hesitated uncharacteristically at the door, before assuming his commanding air. "I want those results as soon as you have them. And that disgusting snot needs to stay dried up. I won't have him infecting the rest of the household." The order was terse, his transition from patient and friend to that of The Taisho complete.

"Of course, Sir," Beorn acknowledged dutifully.

"I do believe his voice is already improving..." Sesshoumaru offered speculatively, softening the blow of his abrupt transition, then strode down the hall to face his infuriated sibling.

oo00O00oo

_To be continued…_


End file.
